JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra will deliver the demands of the All Indonesian Student Executive (BEM SI) in the form of a report to President Prabowo Subianto.
He emphasized that the government is open to criticism and views differences of opinion as part of democracy.
"I also ensure that freedom of opinion is still guaranteed, as long as it is delivered responsibly and based on research," said Yusril as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, June 20.
Meanwhile, the five demands of the students to be conveyed to the President include stopping the waste of the State Budget (APBN), reducing the prices of basic necessities and Fuel Oil (BBM), stopping the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) and Red and White Village Cooperative programs, stopping militarization in the civilian sector and urging the President to admit the government's mistakes.
In a meeting with the BEM SI in Jakarta, Thursday (18/6), the Coordinating Minister specifically asked students for an explanation regarding the demands for the MBG program. He wanted to make sure whether the students meant a total termination of the program or improvement of governance.
Yusril also received an explanation from the SI BEM that the intended was to improve the governance of the MBG program because it had also felt the benefits.
He said the MBG program was implemented by the President to improve people's nutrition. In addition, the program is also expected to encourage economic circulation at the community level, including through the involvement of business actors, farmers, fishermen, and food suppliers in the area.
According to him, the government is open to input regarding improvements to the program's governance. He believes that if what students want is to improve the governance of MBG, then it will be the government's concern.
"I believe that if what is desired is improvement in the governance of the MBG program, it will definitely be carried out by the government," he said.
Yusril emphasized that all student input would be accommodated and reported to the President. He argued that the dialogue that had been carried out was important to maintain communication between the government and the student group.
The Minister of Communication and Information guarantees freedom of opinion so that students can learn critically well and sharply.
The students who attended welcomed the audience and hoped that their aspirations could be forwarded to the President as a consideration in improving policies that still cause public unrest.
The Coordinating Minister's audience with the students who are members of the BEM SI was held to listen to and clarify the five demands presented in the protest on Friday (12/6), especially regarding improvements to the governance of the MBG program and ensuring that all student aspirations will be reported to President Prabowo.
The meeting was also a space for constructive communication between the government and students.
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