Concerns are growing that political elites are trying to delegitimize student protests against President Prabowo Subianto's policies, with recent maneuvering threatening to undermine their credibility and shift focus away from the grievances that drove the demonstrations.

Pro-government parties have rounded on sole opposition party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), accusing it of appearing to support the recent student protests against President Prabowo Subianto’s costly flagship programs amid mounting economic pressures.

Military prosecutors have opted not to challenge what critics describe as the lenient sentences handed down to four Indonesian Military (TNI) Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) personnel convicted over the acid attack on rights activist Andrie Yunus, despite appeals filed by the men themselves.

The Jakarta Police have detained former youth and sports minister Roy Suryo and health activist Tifauzia “Tifa” Tyassuma over alleged defamation linked to the case of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s contested university diploma, marking a major escalation in the long-running controversy.

House of Representatives Deputy Speakers Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and Saan Mustopa promised to facilitate dialogues between student protesters and the government about their concerns, including rising fuel prices and a re-evaluation of the free nutritious meal program.

The multi-billion dollar meal scheme is one of President Prabowo Subianto's signature policies, but has been widely criticised for its high costs, with hundreds demonstrating in Jakarta last week to call for it to be scrapped.

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s decision to engage with student protesters amid waves of demonstrations against President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programs has raised questions about whether the move is aimed at increasing his political visibility and the possibility of a meaningful policy response.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has confiscated assets worth around Rp 30 billion (US$1.68 million) belonging to convicted corruption fugitive Eddy Tansil, in addition to Rp 51.68 billion in cash, as part of the government’s broader push to recover state losses from corruption cases.

A rift seems to have appeared in the ongoing student movement against excessive budgetary spending and rising fuel prices after BEM Bersatu alleged that certain student unions may have been swayed by political influence, which elicited prompt denial from its peers as well as the PDI-P.

From fuel price hikes to multibillion-dollar government programs, a growing list of grievances has fueled recurring protests during President Prabowo Subianto’s first two years in office, highlighting widening public dissatisfaction with the administration’s policy direction.

Following protests on Friday, students swarmed streets in Central Jakarta to demand a halt to the government's costly flagship programs and a national strategy to improve the economy, including steps to curb the rise in prices of fuel and basic necessities.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has arrested two more suspects related to corruption in the free nutritious meal program, widening its probe, which has already ensnared three former leaders of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) in charge of the project.

The deployment of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel against a student protest denouncing wasteful state spending drew criticism from protesters and civil society groups, who said that crowd control falls outside the mandate of defense forces.

Hundreds of university students returned to the streets on Friday to challenge President Prabowo Subianto’s spending priorities, arguing that costly flagship programs were weakening efforts to respond to mounting economic pressures.

Hundreds of university students rallied across Jakarta on Friday to demand that President Prabowo Subianto take steps to ease economic pressure amid rising prices of nonsubsidized fuels and other commodities.

Student groups are set to return to the streets on Friday, demanding an end to President Prabowo Subianto’s costly flagship programs as economic pressures mount and the rupiah sinks to a record low.

The new police law is likely to face a legal challenge at the Constitutional Court, as critics question the rushed deliberation process and controversial provisions allowing an expanded role for active-duty police officers in civilian posts.

Amid pressure on the rupiah and growing concerns over the country’s economic stability, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has taken a dominant role in coordinating with government officials on economic policies, raising questions over the scope of his authority in the legislature.

President Prabowo Subianto said his concerns over Indonesia’s trajectory since the 1990s motivated his repeated bids for the presidency, insisting his political ambitions were driven by a desire to change the country’s course rather than personal ambition.

The appointment of labor leader Said Iqbal as special presidential advisor on employment and workers’ welfare has sparked concerns over possible state cooptation of labor movement in the country, prompting questions about the future of labor groups’ independence.

The Jakarta Military Court on Wednesday sentenced four soldiers up to three years in prison for their roles in acid attack targeting anti-militarism activist Andrie Yunus.

Prosecutors rejected former education minister Nadiem Makarim’s defense plea at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, maintaining that he had abused his authority and professional expertise for personal gain, as the defense prepared a final counterargument. 

The court found the attack was not influenced by any "chain of command."

Disgraced former deputy chief of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sony Sonjaya has offered to cooperate with law enforcement as a justice collaborator and expose “powerful names” allegedly tied to corruption in the free meals program, fueling intensified calls for a comprehensive audit of the multitrillion-rupiah program.

The House of Representatives passed on Tuesday a controversial amendment to the 2002 Police Law, allowing an expanded role for active-duty police officers in civilian posts through rushed deliberations that took less than a week.

Despite criticisms over a rushed legislative process, the House passed on Tuesday the amended Police Law, which includes a controversial provision that allows active-duty officers to take civilian posts in government.

President Prabowo Subianto on Monday inaugurated new leadership for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) and named labor leader Said Iqbal as a special presidential advisor on employment, raising questions about the future direction of the government’s free meals program and the country’s labor movement.