Didemo, East Kalimantan Governor Appreciates Student Actions

SAMARINDA - East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas'ud gave an open response and appreciated the input from thousands of masses after a demonstration in front of the Governor's office, Samarinda.

"We thank the students, the community, and the TNI-Polri who have maintained the security situation until the end of the delivery of aspirations," said Rudy Mas'ud in Samarinda, Wednesday, April 22, reported by ANTARA.

There are thousands of students who have flocked to Jalan Gajah Mada and along the Samarinda Terrace with a stretch of almost one kilometer. The police guard more than 1,700 joint personnel.

Governor Rudy hopes that all elements of society can continue to be the eyes and ears of the government in carrying out social control functions in the continent of Etam.

According to him, various inputs voiced by the public are the best material for evaluating to accelerate the improvement of the performance of the East Kalimantan Provincial Government in the future.

"I am also fully aware that the future direction of the destiny of East Kalimantan Province is in the hands of caring young generations," said Rudy.

Previously, the demonstration until Tuesday evening had ended in a riot, which was marked by stone throwing due to the disappointment of the masses who failed to meet the regional leadership.

Police from the Samarinda Police with a joint team were forced to fire water cannons to control the crowd when the situation heated up and passed the time limit before Maghrib.

The demonstration, which was initiated by a coalition of students and civil society elements, basically urged the East Kalimantan DPRD to immediately use the right to inquiry and interpellation.

Specifically, the protesters questioned the urgency of using the regional budget worth Rp. 25 billion which was allocated for the luxurious renovation of the governor's official residence in the midst of the people's distress, including operational expenditures which were considered ineffective.

The protesters also unfurled a large banner that read "Kaltim Darurat KKN", illustrating how thick nepotism was during the reign of Rudy Mas'ud, who shuffled his relatives into strategic seats.