SE UI BEM Will Do This If Jokowi And DPR Don't Open New Draft RKUHP

JAKARTA – Student demonstrations in front of the State Palace demanded the government to revoke controversial articles contained in the draft RKUHP. The chairman of BEM UI, Bayu, said that the masses would return to the streets in greater numbers if the government did not address this issue properly.

The chairman of the BEM UI, Bayu said, the point of the demands submitted was to urge the President and the Indonesian House of Representatives to open the latest draft of the RKUHP in the near future and conduct a transparent discussion of the RKUHP by upholding meaningful public participation.

"Demanding the President and the DPR RI to re-discuss problematic articles in the RKUHP, especially articles that have the potential to silence citizens' freedom of opinion and expression even though they are not included in crucial issues," he said in the demands submitted on Tuesday, June 21.

Bayu continued, if the President and the DPR RI do not open the latest draft of the RKUHP and state that they will discuss problematic articles outside of crucial issues within 7x24 hours since this statement of position was read, then his party threatens to return to the streets.

"We are ready to pour into the streets and cause a bigger wave of resistance than in 2019," he said.

The demonstration also coincided with the 61st birthday of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Kombes Komarudin appealed to students who held a demonstration at the Horse Statue, National Monument Area (Monas) to maintain order.

"We urge our colleagues to carry out this demonstration in an orderly manner and not to be easily provoked," said Kombes Komarudin, Tuesday, June 21.

The police chief said that in securing the demonstration his party deployed as many as 560 security personnel.

"Let's show that colleagues can be good examples in terms of expressing opinions in public," he said.

Meanwhile, dozens of students who are members of the National Alliance for Penal Code Reform are still continuing to call for their demands at the Horse Statue, National Monument Area (Monas), Gambir District, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, June 21.

A number of students actually wanted to express their opinion in front of the State Palace, but their steps were stopped by a police barricade blocking the mass march.