Jakarta - Hundreds of Indonesian university students marched around Jakarta's iconic Hotel Indonesia Roundabout or Bundaran HI on Friday, 12 June 2026, demanding President Prabowo Subianto to halt his flagship spending programs and reverse this week's fuel price hike, as authorities deployed more than 4,000 security personnel to manage the demonstration.
The protest, dubbed "Menuju Indonesia Bangkrut" — "Towards Indonesia's Bankruptcy" — was spearheaded by the Student Executive Board of the University of Indonesia (BEM UI) and drew participants from at least nine campuses, including the Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB), Jakarta State Polytechnic, Pancasila University, and Gunadarma University, alongside civil society organizations.
Jakarta Police Spokesman Budi Hermanto confirmed the deployment of 4,151 joint security personnel, including 500 soldiers, urging participants to avoid vandalism and refrain from carrying weapons. Traffic diversions and road closures, he said, may be imposed depending on crowd size and ground conditions.
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Students presented at five main demands to the government, that are halting Prabowo's free nutritious meal program (MBG) and village cooperative initiatives (KMP), ending state budget wastage, reducing fuel and staple goods prices, and stop expanding military's roles in civilian affairs.
Organizers reported that many other students were blocked from reaching the protest site by police and military forces.
BEM UI Chair Yatalathof Ma'shum Imawan said the protest reflects a deepening disconnect between official economic data and conditions on the ground.
"What is the government doing? Busy polishing their image while giving projects to their cronies," he said, adding that "in many regions, Pertalite fuel is growing scarce, and power is being cut off, especially in Java Island," referring to 90-octane gasoline.
Imawan framed the demonstration as a matter of accountability rather than political opposition and choosing Bundaran HI as the center of the rally because of distrusting legislators.
"We believe that we have tried giving the government chances and time for too long. Because data-driven criticisms are always ignored, and especially since the government chooses to evade responsibility instead of taking accountability," he said.
