Indonesian students rally against Prabowo over haze, spending

Students and activists rallied in Jakarta and several other Indonesian cities on Wednesday, Oct. 28, demanding that President Prabowo Subianto’s government declare the country’s forest fires a national disaster, hold the companies behind them to account and rethink its spending priorities.

The protests drew thousands of people across the country, according to AFP and The Jakarta Post, while Bloomberg News put the crowd in central Jakarta at more than 1,000. Rallies were reported in Jakarta, Bandung, Malang, Yogyakarta and Makassar.

Police said about 14,000 officers, backed by soldiers and tactical vehicles, were deployed in the capital. At the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in central Jakarta, some protesters pushed through security barriers, and police fired several canisters of tear gas, AFP reported. Some demonstrators threw water bottles and burned rubbish. At the University of Indonesia, police and military personnel blocked a group of students, leading to scuffles, according to The Jakarta Post. Rain broke up the main Jakarta rally after about six hours. None of the reports we reviewed mentioned arrests, injuries or deaths.

Haze, spending and civil liberties

The fires are at the heart of the anger. Indonesia is facing its worst forest fires and haze in 11 years, The Jakarta Post reported, and forest-monitoring group Nusantara Atlas estimates that more than 1.9 million hectares burned in the nine months to September. The smoke has crossed borders: Indonesia recently cut gas exports to Singapore as a diplomatic row over the haze deepened.

Protesters, led by student groups including the University of Indonesia’s student executive board, also called for lower education costs, stronger action against corruption and protection of civil liberties. They urged the government to shift money away from populist programs such as its free school meals scheme.

The government said it respected the students’ right to protest. A spokesperson, Kurnia Ramadhana, said the government “understands the concerns raised by students,” according to AFP. Officials said more than 72,000 personnel are fighting fires in six provinces, that 1.24 trillion rupiah (about US$73 million) in aid has been sent, and that 244 individuals and 14 companies had been named as suspects in fire-related cases as of Oct. 25, Bloomberg reported.

The rallies come as Prabowo’s popularity slides. His approval rating fell to 44.5 per cent in an October survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting, down from 81.2 per cent in November 2025, according to Bloomberg. Wednesday’s protests followed an earlier demonstration on Oct. 20, the anniversary of his inauguration, and fell on Youth Pledge Day, which commemorates a 1928 declaration of national unity by young Indonesians.

Calls for international attention

On social media, Indonesian students have appealed to audiences abroad to pay attention, saying their voices are being suppressed at home. Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a growing trading partner for Canada; the two countries signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2025.

Canadians in Indonesia can register with Global Affairs Canada’s Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive safety updates.

Canada News Media will follow developments. Readers in Indonesia with information about the protests can reach us at [email protected].