Student Demo Simultaneous Today, Responded by DPR Scheduled for Dialogue at the Parliament Complex

JAKARTA - The leadership of the Indonesian House of Representatives is scheduled to meet with student representatives who plan to hold a demonstration in the DPR/MPR Building area, Jakarta, on Friday, June 19. The meeting is said to have been scheduled as an effort to open a space for dialogue between parliament and students.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad confirmed the plan for the meeting. However, he has not explained in detail the time of implementation and the leadership of the House of Representatives who will attend the dialogue with students.

"Tomorrow (today) there is a plan to be met by the leadership of the DPR," Dasco told reporters at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, June 18.

When asked further about the technicalities of the meeting, Dasco only confirmed that the leadership of the DPR would accept the aspirations of students who plan to carry out demonstrations.

"Tomorrow there is a plan for that," he said.

Previously, a number of student groups announced plans to demonstrate at a number of points in Jakarta, ranging from the DPR/MPR building area to the front of the State Palace.

The action is said to bring various demands related to economic conditions, government policies, the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, to issues of employment and state budget management.

The wave of student protests has also not only occurred in Jakarta. In recent weeks, similar actions have been held by various student alliances in a number of regions such as Semarang, Surabaya, Solo, Bandar Lampung, and other cities.

A number of student groups have even delivered an ultimatum to the government to respond to their various demands related to the national economic conditions, people's purchasing power, the rupiah exchange rate, the prices of basic necessities, and a number of government programs.

With the planned meeting between the leadership of the DPR and student representatives, it is hoped that parliament will be able to absorb the aspirations that are developing in various regions while reducing the potential for a larger escalation of action in the near future.