Indonesian Students Protest Fuel Price Hike and Spending Priorities

Hundreds of students in Jakarta protested President Prabowo Subianto's government spending priorities. The demonstration, named 'Heading to Bankrupt Indonesia', criticized the recent fuel price hike and called for an end to perceived wasteful spending. Protesters were blocked by police, leading to scuffles.

In Jakarta, hundreds of Indonesian university students took to the streets on Friday, voicing their discontent with President Prabowo Subianto's government's spending priorities, notably this week's increase in gasoline prices.

The protest, dubbed 'Heading to Bankrupt Indonesia', saw students rallying towards Jakarta's iconic Bundaran HI landmark. Organizers noted that many were hindered from reaching the protest site by police and military forces. Despite the global spike in oil prices due to the Iran war, the government had maintained stable gasoline prices in Southeast Asia's largest economy, but fiscal pressures culminated in a price hike this week.

Students carried slogans demanding the reversal of the fuel price increase and criticized Prabowo's 'wasteful' spending. Conflicts erupted as police and military personnel blocked the march, aiming to disperse the protesters. The free meals program, targeting 83 million children and expecting mothers, faced criticism for alleged inefficiencies and health concerns.