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Acting governor in hot water over Jakarta scholarship suspension
Acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono claims that the city suspended the scholarships to check for data discrepancies regarding the awardees' socioeconomic situations.
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Jakarta commuters wear masks on Nov. 8, 2023, while waiting for a bus at a Transjakarta shelter, which features a public service announcement banner from the Jakarta provincial administration showing acting governor Heru Budi Hartono, in Jakarta. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
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cting Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono is embroiled in controversy after reportedly revoking the Jakarta Excellent Student Card (KJMU) from hundreds of students in the city, a move that many see as an effort to undo his predecessor’s policies.
Dozens of Jakarta university students recently took to the internet to voice their frustrations as their KJMU scholarships were terminated without warning.
Since 2016, the Jakarta administration has been handing out scholarships for high school students from low-income families to pursue higher education in universities across the country.
The program, first introduced by former governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, was initially involved 30 universities. When Anies Baswedan was elected governor, he expanded the program to cover 110 universities across the nation.
As of last year, around 19,000 students were beneficiaries of the program, receiving Rp 9 million (US$577) each per semester to pay for their tuition.
Iman Satria, head of Jakarta City Council Commission E overseeing people’s welfare, said last week that the scholarship was terminated because the city had slashed the program’s budget from Rp 360 billion in 2023 to Rp 180 billion this year.
However, Heru denied the Gerindra Party politician’s statement.
