What Really Happened with the “Dark Indonesia” Demonstration?

What prompted students in the regions to hold “Dark Indonesia” demonstrations?

On Monday (17/2/2025), students from a number of universities held demonstrations entitled "Dark Indonesia" in a number of areas in the country.

They reject several government policies that are not pro-people, especially regarding budget efficiency. In addition, they also oppose the revision of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law related to mining concessions for universities and encourage the enactment of the Asset Seizure Law.

The Chairman of the Student Executive Board of Antasari State Islamic University in South Kalimantan, Abdurrahman, stated that the action titled Indonesia Gelap was held simultaneously in several regions of Indonesia to highlight various controversies caused by the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka regime during their first 100 days in office.

In Jakarta, the "Dark Indonesia" demonstration initiated by the All Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM SI) lasted until the evening before dispersing.

Did the “Dark Indonesia” protest still continue yesterday?

Not only on Monday (17/2/2025), the "Dark Indonesia" protest continued in several regions yesterday. In Semarang, for instance, hundreds of students who are part of the West Sumatra Student Executive Board Alliance held a "Dark Indonesia" demonstration in front of the Central Java Regional House of Representatives and the Semarang City Regional House of Representatives offices.

They came carrying banners, cardboard, and papers containing writings critical of the government. Some of the critical writings included, among others, #IndonesiaDark, Stop Cutting Education Budget, Full No, Stupid Yes, #EducationEmergency, Okay Gas, Okay Gas, Where's the Gas?, Free Food Cabinet, Eating People's Money for Free, and Fat Cabinet.

Just like the student protests in several regions, on the first day, Monday, during the demonstration yesterday, the action coordinators gave speeches criticizing the government's policies in the first 100 days of the Prabowo-Gibran administration.

In addition to asking for an evaluation of the efficiency policy, students are pushing for the Draft Law (RUU) on Customary Law Communities and the Draft Law on Asset Confiscation.

"We demand a revision of the State Ministry Law to stop the obesity in the Red and White Cabinet and demand an acceleration of the reshuffle of problematic ministers. We also ask that mining concessions for universities be rejected and demand a form of militarization in the civil sphere," said Ivan Oktavian from the Semarang Raya Student Executive Board Alliance.

How did the government respond to the “Dark Indonesia” action?

The government considers the student demonstration titled "Dark Indonesia" as a reasonable expression of opinion. However, students are asked to be more discerning, especially regarding demands about budget efficiency, which is a policy of President Prabowo Subianto. This is because efficiency does not affect the education budget.

State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, when met at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (18/2/2025), said that the government has no issue with student demonstrations. Expressing opinions is something normal and common.

"The government will continue to accept input. Because, for us, those inputs are also corrections for us. What is important is the spirit. The spirit must be constructive. We really need that. Do not criticize that, for example, tends to be negative, tends to be confrontational, with negative energy, not for improvement," said Prasetyo.

Prasetyo appealed to students to be more observant in understanding budget efficiency policies. As in the joint press conference with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani and the DPR leadership on Friday (2/14/2025), there was no efficiency at all targeting the education budget.

The TNI Bill is among those opposed by “Dark Indonesia”, will the revision be cancelled?

The DPR and the government continue to discuss the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 on the TNI despite opposition from students. The revision of the TNI Law has drawn resistance from students in several regions yesterday, because it is feared that it will increase the number of active TNI soldiers filling civilian positions, thus potentially creating repression and hindering democratic life.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from the Golkar Party Faction Adies Kadir while leading a Plenary Meeting at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (2/18/2025), explained that the DPR leadership had received Presidential Letter (Surpres) Number R12/President/02/2025 on February 13, 2025 regarding the discussion of the TNI Bill (RUU). In the letter, the President has appointed a government representative to discuss the TNI Bill with the DPR.

Not only that, the TNI Bill was decided to be included in the 2025 Prolegnas. In other words, the discussion of the TNI Bill between the government and the DPR can begin soon. The DPR has appointed Commission I of the DPR to discuss the bill with the government.

What is the government-DPR's stance on the demands of "Dark Indonesia" regarding the Asset Confiscation Bill?

Although both consider the discussion of the Draft Law on Confiscation of Criminal Assets important, the government and the DPR will not discuss it in the near future. The government still needs time to consolidate power in the DPR, while the DPR claims it still needs time to study it.

The demand for the regulation to be presented immediately became one of the demands of students in the "Dark Indonesia" demonstration in several regions on Monday (2/17/2025). In fact, for the regulation to be issued immediately, students demanded that President Prabowo issue a government regulation in lieu of law (perppu). They considered the regulation urgent to eradicate economic crimes and corruption.

Responding to the demands, Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas when met at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (18/2/2025), explained that the confiscation of assets resulting from criminal acts, especially corruption, is the main focus of President Prabowo Subianto.

Therefore, he said the government is ready at any time to submit the draft of the Asset Confiscation Bill to the DPR and discuss it with the DPR. However, before taking that step, the government admitted that it needs time. "It takes enough time for us to consolidate all the strengths of political parties and factions in the DPR," he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the DPR Legislative Body from the Golkar Faction Ahmad Doli Kurnia said that his party still needs time to study it. He claimed that an in-depth study is needed to see the suitability of the Asset Confiscation Law with the Indonesian legal and political system.

Specifically regarding budget efficiency, why is President Prabowo's policy unconstitutional?

The government's policy of streamlining the budget needs to be reviewed because it is carried out unconstitutionally and implemented in ways that are not in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations. The shifting of budget items also needs to be adjusted to the objectives of state financial management that have been expressly stated in the constitution, especially paragraph IV of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

Beni Kurnia Ilahi, a researcher at the Center for Constitutional Studies, Faculty of Law, Andalas University, stated that the budget efficiency policy regulated through Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 is legally and constitutionally flawed. From a constitutional perspective, there are two parameters that must be used when making budget cuts.

First, is it in accordance with the state objectives stated in paragraph IV of the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia? Second, is the supervision in accordance with the principles of efficiency and good governance.

"If those two things are not met, it can be said that the 2025 State Budget may be unconstitutional. With legal instruments alone, it is already unconstitutional, let alone if it is used in unfair ways in implementing state budget cuts," said Beni.