The Meeting Of DPR Leaders And Students Becomes A Momentum For Transparency Of The National Political Process

JAKARTA - Some time ago, the leadership of the DPR invited student representatives to have a dialogue on the current condition of the nation after a massive demonstration in various regions on August 25-31, 2025.

The DPR's move is certainly an extraordinary phenomenon because public voices no longer echo on the streets but manage to penetrate the table.

A lecturer at the FISIPOL University of Muhammadiyah, West Sumatra, Hairunnas assessed that the meeting between the DPR and student representatives held yesterday had a strategic meaning in democracy.

This is considered a two-way communication space between formal political forces and young civilian forces.

"I see this as an important moment that will encourage transparency and inclusivity in our political process today, not just a ceremony because this of course opens up space for public negotiations on urgent issues that have often stalled in the power space," Hairunnas said in a statement quoted on Saturday, September 6.

According to Hairunnas, student demands ranging from forming an independent investigative team, investigating police violence, releasing demonstrators, to urging the ratification of the Asset Confiscation Bill, show that students still play a role as a moral voice and a reminder of the nation's conscience.

"On the other hand, I see from the portrait of the DPR, especially the apology from Sufmi Dasco and the commitment to internal reform of the DPR which is said to be led directly by the Chairman of the DPR, Puan Maharani is a positive signal, although it still needs to be proven in its realization," he said.

"Some members of the DPR even expressed their willingness to make past events an evaluation material. This shows the potential for a political cultural shift in parliament, from being merely defensive to being more reflective and responsive to the demands submitted," continued Hairunnas.

The researcher at the Political Spectrum Institute also views the meeting as an initial opportunity for a more inclusive consolidation of democracy and strengthening of democratic values that have been built since the beginning of reform. However, according to Hairunnas, the output expected from the meeting was a real step for policy makers.

"Starting from the establishment of an independent investigation team, because the DPR is constitutionally and politically has a strategic role in forming and encouraging the formation of an investigative team, especially when it comes to issues related to public interests, violations of law, or human rights violations, in this case the death of Affan Kurniawan," he said.

Hairunnas highlighted the results of the meeting with students, including encouraging the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, to ensure that the DPR will discuss the Asset Confiscation Bill.

This is in response to public demands, especially from students who urge the ratification of the bill as part of transparent and participatory legislative reforms.

Meanwhile, Sufmi Dasco stated that the leadership of the DPR would coordinate with the government to discuss a number of student demands, one of which was the discussion of the Asset Confiscation Bill.

Hairunnas assessed that the acceleration of the discussion of this bill was crucial considering that the tug of war had lasted too long, even though the urgency was increasingly evident in the context of law enforcement and eradicating corruption.

"The Asset Confiscation Bill should not be seen as political pressure, but as a reflection of the will of the people who reject all forms of impunity," said Hairunnas.

Hairunnas said that the ratification of the Asset Confiscation Bill would be concrete evidence of the DPR's commitment to institutional reforms that had been echoed so far. If not, then the commitment is feared to only become a slogan without meaning.

On the other hand, Hairunnas assessed that students and civil society also need to appreciate the DPR's first steps as well as support from a number of political parties that have shown positive signals to accelerate the discussion, while still overseeing the process so that it can run accountable and in favor of the public interest.

"In the end, I hope that students will continue to consistently oversee the narrative of their struggle to stay focused and have an impact. Because, for me democracy is not only built through demonstrations or hearings forums, but through consistency of actions after that," said Hairunnas.

"This meeting is important, but the fate of public demands will depend on who dares to change the word to work," he concluded.

As is known, the leadership of the DPR received a number of student representatives from 16 student organizations at the Nusantara building, the parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday, September 3.

The House of Representatives invites students to have a dialogue and accept the aspirations expressed regarding the demonstration which will be held on August 25-31, 2025.

The deputy student representatives were received by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal and Saan Mustopa.

Student representatives who attended included GMNI, GMKI, KAMMI, HMI, BEM SI Kerakyatan, BEM SI Rakyat Bangkit, BEM Nusantara, BEM PTNU Se-Nusantara, PTKIN Fever All over Indonesia, BEM PTMA Zone III, GMH, BEM UPNVJ, BEM UI, Himapolindo, Trisakti University Student Presidency, and HMI DIPO.

They conveyed a number of demands, including those contained in the demands titled '17+8 of the People's Demands'. BEM UI proposed that an independent investigation team be formed to investigate allegations of treason in a demonstration on August 25-31, 2025.

Then, BEM Nusantara encouraged the DPR to immediately ratify the Asset Confiscation Bill, to HMI DIPO who asked the DPR leadership to contact the National Police Chief to release detained students.