JAKARTA, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Hundreds of Indonesian security personnel were deployed on Wednesday in anticipation of student protests against several of President Prabowo Subianto’s policies, as well as his government’s handling of forest fires.
• Students from the University of Indonesia said they were set to stage protests in several spots in the capital Jakarta
• They are calling on the government to declare the ongoing wildfires in Sumatra and Borneo a national disaster, and to halt spending on populist programmes such as Prabowo’s free meals scheme, among other demands
• Wednesday’s protests carry the hashtag #IndonesiaAware, the students said
• It is unclear how many students will take to the streets
• A heavy police and military presence, as well as armoured vehicles, could be seen in busy parts of central Jakarta on Wednesday morning
• Protests have also been held in haze-stricken areas of Borneo and Sumatra, including one in Central Kalimantan last week
• Prabowo’s approval ratings have fallen steadily since late last year, according to surveys by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), two years into his presidency
• Indonesia’s last major protest took place in August, when hundreds were detained, and students also held demonstrations last week
• In 2025, weeks-long nationwide protests broke out in Indonesia after the police killing of a motorcycle taxi driver, with several more people killed during the unrest
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by David Stanway)
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