Jakarta – The All-Indonesia Student Executive Council (BEM SI) has given a score of 10 out of 100 for the last 10 years of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration.
"If we give him a score, yeah, out of 100 perhaps the assessment is 10 because 90 percent of his policies have failed", said BEM SI national coordinator Herianto at the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on Monday July 22.
According to Herianto, Widodo has never involved the pubic in policy making. These policies, he said, have only benefited a handful of groups. "He never involves the public so these policies are only for the benefit of certain groups, not in the public interest", he said.
The BEM SI believes that Widodo has failed in leading the country. Herianto said that Widodo should have left behind a good legacy for the public.
"He shouldn't leave a lot of debt and policies that created an uproar and so on. This will be a burden for the new president", said Herianto.
During the action, the BEM SI raised at least 12 demands, including asking Widodo not to cawe-cawe (meddle) in the 2024 election of regional heads (Pilkada), for the sake of democracy opposing the return of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police's (Polri) dwi-fungsi (dual socio-political role).
Then, revoking the Public Housing Savings Program (Tapera) Law and revising problematic articles, revoking and revising Education, Culture, Research and Technology Minister Regulation (Permendikbud) Number 2/2024, fully resolving cases of gross human rights violations and taking firm action against police officers who act repressively.
They also called for the enactment of the Draft Law on Asset Seizure (RUU Perampasan Aset) and the Draft Law on Indigenous Rights (RUU Masyarakat Adat).
Concrete barriers destroyed
During the action on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, the students attempted to break through the concrete barriers near the Horse Statue. They also asked Widodo to come out onto the streets and meet with them.
The protesters attached a thick rope to the barriers blocking access to the State Palace in front of the Sapta Pesona building then began pulling on the rope together.
"We'll destroy the walls that are in front of us. Long live the students, long live the ordinary Indonesian people", said a speaker from the command vehicle.
After one of the concrete barriers appeared to collapse, the students shouted and cheered. The speaker however asked them to restrain themselves and not break through the concrete barriers.
"If Jokowi doesn't come out and meet us here, then what comrades?", asked the speaker. "Fight", shouted the demonstrators. The police meanwhile remained on alert behind the concrete barriers.
Police disperse protesters
Towards late afternoon the police began appealing to the demonstrators to disperse by 6 pm, but the students held their ground. The police made the appeal three times. "Once again we appeal to you to move back. Please move back", ordered the police.
Then at around 7 pm the police began to advance past the concrete barriers and faced off directly with the student demonstrators.
The police then used a water cannon to spray water in the direction of the protesters while officers with riot shields moved in to try and disburse the students.
Not only that, police officers on motorcycles carrying tear gas launchers began combing the Horse Statue area to pursue the students. The demonstrators ended up running in all directions.
Eventually the students began leaving the Horse Statue area at around 7.10 pm. They left behind several messages written in white on the concrete barriers such as "The police are too lazy to protect [the people]".
Meanwhile access to Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in the direction of Harmoni that had been closed off by concrete barriers and razor wire was reopened. A number of street cleaners could be cleaning up the area where the demonstration was held.
[Abridged translation by James Balowski based on four articles by CNN Indonesia on July 22. The original title of the lead article was "BEM SI Beri Nilai 10 Dari 100 untuk 10 Tahun Kepemimpinan Jokowi".]
