Students and civil society groups rallied in Jakarta and other cities on Youth Pledge Day, demanding disaster status for the fires and a rethink of government spending.
Tamrah News Desk | October 29, 2026
Indonesia student protests reached Jakarta and other cities on Wednesday, October 28, as students and civil society groups rallied against President Prabowo Subianto’s policies, including his handling of the country’s worst forest fires in 11 years, according to Reuters.
What Happened at the Jakarta Protest
Reuters reported that demonstrators crowded a landmark roundabout in the capital, with some wearing gas masks and carrying signs that urged the government to declare the blazes a national disaster. Reuters described the crowd as hundreds of people. Bloomberg reported more than 1,000 students and activists. The Jakarta Post said police and soldiers numbering about 14,000 were deployed.
Bloomberg said the University of Indonesia’s student executive board and a coalition of civil society groups organized the rally, which fell on Youth Pledge Day. Reuters said dozens of police and military personnel blocked some University of Indonesia students, leading to scuffles. Rallies also took place in Makassar and Bandung, according to Reuters, while Bloomberg reported hundreds of students in Yogyakarta. Student Ezra Al Barra told Reuters the fires were
“our collective anger.”
What the Protesters Are Demanding
Bloomberg reported that organisers want the fires declared a national disaster, companies held responsible, spending priorities changed, education costs lowered, stronger action against corruption and better protection of civil liberties. Reuters said protesters also urged the government to stop spending on populist programmes such as the free meals programme.
Why the Free Meals Programme Is Under Scrutiny
Asia News Network reported that the programme received Rp 335 trillion for 2026, equal to 8.7 percent of state spending. Vietnam News Agency reported in July that the budget was cut to 229 trillion rupiah from 268 trillion. It said the scheme, aimed at tackling child malnutrition, has drawn criticism over cost, food safety incidents and corruption allegations. The Edge Malaysia reported in March that a civil coalition asked the Constitutional Court to review the budget law behind it.
Indonesia Forest Fires and the Haze Crisis
Reuters said El Niño has left peatland vulnerable, producing the worst fires and Indonesia haze in 11 years, with more respiratory illness at home and polluted air in Malaysia and Singapore. Health Ministry data cited in Reuters reporting carried by The Star showed 277,075 respiratory illness cases in seven provinces as of October 12. That is more than double the 113,336 recorded as of September 9. The Edge Malaysia reported that four people fighting fires were killed at Mount Bromo national park in East Java.
How Has the Government Responded?
Reuters reported that the government’s communications office welcomed student input in a late Wednesday statement. It said companies linked to the fires had been prosecuted, aid had been sent to affected provinces and monitoring would continue. Bloomberg reported that authorities had named 244 individuals and 14 companies as suspects as of October 25. ABC News reported that the Government Communications Agency said Prabowo is personally overseeing the response, with more than 71,000 personnel deployed.
The Edge Malaysia reported on October 16 that Indonesia’s foreign minister said Prabowo had agreed to accept help from neighboring countries. The Jakarta Post reported that Prabowo said foreign companies bear responsibility in an October 21 speech and described deliberate burning as
“environmental terrorism.”
Will Indonesia Declare the Forest Fires a National Disaster?
The Star reported on October 12 that Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs Dudung Abdurachman ruled out a national disaster declaration for now, saying Indonesia can handle the crisis. Reports reviewed on October 29 showed no change to that position.
Pressure on Prabowo Subianto Grows
Bloomberg reported that Prabowo’s approval rating fell to 44.5 percent in an October survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting, from 81.2 percent in November last year. The protest came just over a week after he marked two years in office. ABC News reported that students and civil society groups also marched on October 20 over living costs and the fire response. Reuters noted that Indonesia’s last major protest was in August, when hundreds were detained.
Conclusion
The latest Indonesia student protests show how Indonesia forest fires and the Indonesia haze have grown into a wider test for Prabowo Subianto. The Jakarta protest combined anger over the fires with objections to the free meals programme and other spending choices. The government says it is prosecuting companies and deploying personnel, while protesters want a national disaster declaration. Readers can follow world news and Southeast Asia coverage on Tamrah News, and search for Indonesia student protests, Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia forest fires, Jakarta protest, Indonesia haze and free meals programme for updates.
