Protests Against Government Budget Cuts in Indonesia

Student protests have erupted in Indonesia as part of the Dark Indonesia movement, where demonstrators are voicing their discontent over significant government budget cuts that negatively affect essential sectors like education and health. The protesters argue that funding is being diverted to support an expensive free school meal program, promised by President Prabowo Subianto during his campaign. Student representatives expressed their concerns about the diminishing quality of education, with reports of cutbacks impacting resources such as stationery and even basic services like electricity in government offices. Many students fear that these austerity measures will lead to a bleak future, leading to widespread demands for a reevaluation of how budget cuts are implemented to ensure they do not detrimentally affect public services and welfare.