Students Call Protests in Indonesia over Economy and Living Costs as Prabowo Marks Two Years in Power

Young people and students in Indonesia have called protests against the weak economy, a stock-market slide and the rising cost of living. To handle the situation, the authorities have planned to deploy more than 9,500 security personnel in the capital, Jakarta.

According to a Reuters report, preparations were made for demonstrations at various places on Tuesday (20 October), the day marking two years of President Prabowo Subianto in power. The anniversary has thus become an occasion for expressing anti-government discontent.

Jakarta police spokesperson Budi Harmanto said students from at least two universities would demonstrate at different locations in the capital, and that around 9,500 security personnel were planned to be deployed for the purpose.

Students of the University of Indonesia cited the recent forest fires, the big fall in the stock market and the decline of the country's currency, the rupiah, among the reasons for the protest.

In the students' view, both the stock-market collapse and the falling value of the rupiah are signs of the ‘fragility of the national economy’. It is not yet clear, however, how many people will join the demonstrations. The authorities have strengthened security at important locations across the capital to keep the situation under control.

Meanwhile, the environmental organisation Greenpeace hung a banner on an important monument in Jakarta demanding action on the climate crisis and a reduction in the cost of living. Alongside the students' economic demands, the environmental question has thus also entered the protest discussion.

Prabowo Subianto took office as president on 20 October 2024. The retired army general had won the election with a huge majority. But amid concerns over his government's various expensive programmes, its economic management and investor confidence, the country's political and economic situation has come back into discussion.

The Reuters report noted that pressure has also built over the president's popularity. He is now trying to regain the confidence of the general public, the business community and investors.

A survey by local polling agency Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting said public support for Subianto has fallen from 81.2 percent last November to 44.5 percent this month. This near-halving of support within two years makes clear the political reality behind the student protests.

Earlier, in August this year, a large movement had also begun across the country protesting lawmakers' housing allowances, the cost of living and police behaviour. At one stage it turned violent, and several hundred people were detained at the time. Because of that experience, the authorities are being extra cautious about security around this programme.

It remains to be seen how large the announced protests become and what steps the government takes in response to the students' economic demands. Amid the continued fall in public support, handling this protest will be an important test for the Prabowo government.