Indonesians Protest Against Prabowo Administration’s Policies
JAKARTA: Public anger in Indonesia towards President Prabowo Subianto’s administration is mounting amid forest fires, economic pressures and the implementation of controversial government policies.
Most recently, hundreds of protesters gathered in Jakarta on Wednesday to demand that the government declare the forest and land fires affecting the country a national disaster, marking the second demonstration within a week.
The fires, which have destroyed nearly two million hectares of land, are the worst Indonesia has experienced in a decade and have caused thick haze to blanket the region.
University researcher Nurul Amalia, 33, who participated in the demonstration, said government efforts to extinguish the fires had yet to show significant progress despite the increasing number of personnel deployed.
Residents in Kalimantan have also reported hazardous air conditions, while four volunteers reportedly died while fighting the fires this month.
However, public dissatisfaction extends beyond the forest fires to include the implementation of government policies, economic pressures and concerns over the concentration of power under Prabowo’s administration.
A multibillion-dollar free meal programme introduced to tackle malnutrition is among the policies facing criticism after its implementation was linked to various problems, including food poisoning incidents involving thousands of schoolchildren.
In June, the head of the national nutrition agency responsible for implementing the programme was detained over corruption allegations, including complaints involving contaminated meals, with maggots and glass fragments reportedly found in rice.
A survey conducted this month by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting found that approximately 62 per cent of Indonesians opposed the free meal programme, while Prabowo’s approval rating fell to 44.5 per cent, the lowest recorded for any Indonesian president since opinion polling began 20 years ago.
Economic pressures have further heightened public anxiety, with the rupiah falling to its lowest level on record against the United States (US) dollar this year. Indonesia has also had three finance ministers within two years.
The Indonesian government said it welcomed students’ demands as part of efforts to foster democracy, while stressing that concerns over the environment, economy and legal reforms were being addressed.
Kennedy Muslim, an analyst at Indonesian polling firm Indikator, said the current uncertainty had increased the potential for larger demonstrations, although protests so far have remained relatively small.
According to him, an unexpected trigger could spark the next wave of protests.
Utusan