Indonesia beefs up security presence to prepare for student protests
A heavy police and military presence, as well as armoured vehicles, could be seen in busy parts of central Jakarta on Wednesday (Oct 28) morning.
File photo. Riot police officers stand guard as university students protest against the government’s handling of haze and respiratory illnesses caused by months of forest fires, in Pontianak, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, Oct 21, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Victor Fidelis Sentosa)
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JAKARTA: Hundreds of Indonesian security personnel were deployed on Wednesday (Oct 28) 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.
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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.
Source: Reuters/aj
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