Indonesian students protest against state spending, fuel price hike

The protesters warn wasteful government spending risks driving the country into bankruptcy. Indonesia: Students march in Jakarta against state spending, fuel price hike Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. The protesters say wasteful government spending could leave the country "bankrupt" An Indonesian student protester wearing yellow marching on the street in Jakarta with one arm raised Indonesian students protest against state spending, fuel price hike Hundreds of students took to the streets of Indonesia's capital on Friday to protest government policies they said could "bankrupt" the country. The students were demanding President Prabowo Subianto stop what they called wasteful state spending and scrap his flagship free meals programme, which has been dogged by mass poisonings and allegations of corruption. They were also protesting the government's decision to raise fuel prices, which will hurt the middle class. Friday's protest comes amid rising public anger which has simmered for months over perceived mismanagement of the country. The local currency, the rupiah, has also recently slid to fresh lows. "Fuel prices are going up, and our lives are getting harder," university student Zaki was heard shouting at police officers. "Why are you afraid of student voices? They say demonstrations are guaranteed by the constitution? That's not happening today," he continued. Pictures from the protest show policemen holding shields trying to stop the students as they marched towards the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, a Jakarta landmark. Video from BBC Indonesian shows people then trying to push and kick their way through the police barricade. Some objects can also be seen being thrown into the air. There were no immediate reports of injuries. On social media, the protesters posted under the hashtag #MenujuIndonesiaBangkrut, which means "Towards Bankrupt Indonesia". The protest comes less than a year after last August's violent anti-government protests, when the death of a delivery rider sparked anger over elite rule and alleged state mismanagement. The protest comes less than a year after last August's violent anti-government protests , when the death of a delivery rider sparked anger over elite rule and alleged state mismanagement. The protesters had attempted to march towards a Jakarta landmark Students protesters in Indonesia try to push through a police barricade Earlier this week, state-run Pertamina raised prices of two widely-used types of fuel, known as Pertamax, by more than 30%. Indonesia has largely kept fuel prices steady, but Prabowo's programs, like free meals, has put pressure on the budget. Free meals is the centrepiece of Prabowo's agenda and it figured heavily in his 2024 presidential campaign. But university student Rina said it had "been unclear from the start". "There have been incidents like mass food poisoning, and now corruption. The public has been calling for it to stop, but those demands have been ignored," she said. At an annual cost of $28bn (£20.8bn), it aims to tackle child malnutrition, improve education outcomes and stimulate the economy. Officials have described it as "an investment in Indonesia's future". But last week, Prabowo fired the head of the agency responsible for the free meals programme, following mass poisonings and allegations of corruption. responsible for the free meals programme, following mass poisonings and allegations of corruption. Salwa Nur Azmi, an elementary school student gets treatment in a makeshift clinic whilst she is suffering from food poisoning, after eating at the government's free meal programme Protests and food poisonings test Indonesian president's first year in office A person in green "gojek" rideshare uniform, helmet and facemask holds a sketch of a person's face while standing in front of a flaming building How the death of a delivery driver ignited Indonesia Student protesters at Trisakti University in May 1998 An 'impossible' country tests its hard-won democracy Family members of victims visited the crash site, carrying portraits of the loved ones they lost last year. She was the most visibly accomplished member of the royal family. The princess had been in a coma for more than three years, and was 47 at the time of her death. Climate change-induced weather events are pushing orangutan populations to extinction, says a study. Indonesia police allege the man killed the woman as he felt disrespected by her. The centrepiece programme of Prabowo's government has left tens of thousands of school children ill. The school's caretaker is thought to have abused as many as 50 female students, many of them orphans. An Indonesian guide who led hikers up Mount Dukono has described the moment of Friday's eruption which killed three people.