JAKARTA — An Indonesian lawmaker has raised concerns over alleged interference in a recent student protest after viral conviction from a leader of students board of the Universitas Bung Karno's (UBK) had received money for conducting rally calling to review President Prabowo Subianto's priority programs - free nutritious meal and red-white village cooperative - as well as meeting Vice President Gibran Rakabumi Raking.
Representatives from the UBK were among student representatives from other universities in Jakarta who met Vice President Gibran on 15 June in the middle of their rally.
Later, the leader of the UBK's Law Faculty Students Board (BEM FH) was confronted by other students openly in the campus public space where he admitted had received money to gather others from his campus to attend 15 June protest.
In that confession he stated that the money he received was handed over by police, however, no clarification on it.
Responding the issue, Lawmaker Deddy Sitorus of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) suggested that mass student movements are often vulnerable to outside influence, particularly during large-scale demonstrations.
“In every mass movement, there is always the possibility of parties attempting to ride on the momentum,” he said, cautioning against misdirected accusations.
He pointed to circulating claims among participants that certain actors may have influenced the direction of the protest, including unverified reports that some students received money.
“If such actions did occur, it would be deeply concerning,” he added, without providing further evidence.
Separately, Sitorus urged restraint in drawing conclusions, noting that actors operating behind the scenes are often difficult to identify.
