Govt appears to shield itself from criticism
The government has increasingly turned to shielding itself from public demonstrations and allegedly resorting to digital censorship to curb critical voices, as the Prabowo Subianto administration enters its third year with growing public discontent over policymaking.
The Indonesian government appears to be employing tactics to evade criticism as its third year in power coincides with rising public discontent over policy decisions. In West Java, a recent directive has been issued to high schools, advising students against attending planned protests scheduled to mark the administration's second anniversary.
This instruction extends to institutions in Depok and Bogor, suburbs adjacent to the capital, Jakarta. University student unions at the University of Indonesia in Depok had intended to participate in demonstrations at two prominent monuments, Tugu Tani and Tugu Proklamasi. However, the government's actions to potentially restrict public involvement in these gatherings have reignited concerns over a possible escalation in crackdowns against protesters.
In August of the previous year, a wave of student, worker, and civil society protests erupted nationwide, primarily due to growing economic inequality. This conflict led to the arrest of 6,000 individuals, including minors, during the resulting unrest. The situation escalated following the fatal collision of an online motorcycle transportation driver with a police vehicle during a protest near the House of Representatives building in Jakarta.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
