Indonesia Students Protest Alleged Election Interference by Jokowi Administration

By Ananda Teresia

JAKARTA (Reuters) – On Monday, hundreds of Indonesian students and activists held protests in response to what they perceive as outgoing President Joko Widodo’s misuse of power to influence voters in favor of frontrunner Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming election, according to organizers.

Jokowi, the incumbent president, has not officially endorsed any of the three candidates competing to succeed him. However, he has made notable public appearances alongside Prabowo, whose vice-presidential candidate is Jokowi’s eldest son.

Recent opinion polls indicated that Prabowo might receive over 50% of the votes in Wednesday’s election, potentially allowing him to win outright. Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, Prabowo’s rivals, were projected to trail him by at least 27 and 31 points, respectively.

Some voters have expressed concerns about Jokowi’s apparent bias, arguing that it undermines Indonesia’s democracy by providing an unfair advantage to one candidate.

In Yogyakarta, students gathered with bamboo instruments and placards demanding justice for Jokowi and his associates. "Jokowi was once hailed as a new hope; now we see him as a new disaster," one protestor remarked.

The protest organizer, Aksi Gejayan Memanggil, stated that Jokowi’s ethical and moral lapses demonstrate his disregard for public criticism.

Another protest was scheduled in Jakarta, organized by various rights groups.

The presidential office has denied allegations of political interference by Jokowi.

These protests were sparked by a recent documentary by Indonesian investigative journalist Dandhy Laksono, which claimed that state officials, including police and regional leaders, alongside government welfare resources, have been utilized to benefit Prabowo’s campaign. The documentary, titled "Dirty Vote," garnered significant attention with nearly 5 million views on a video-sharing platform by Monday evening.

Reuters has not been able to verify the claims made in the documentary independently.

Prabowo’s campaign team dismissed the allegations, labeling many of the documentary’s contents as defamatory. The government has also stated that social welfare resources are not being exploited to support any candidate.

As the elections approach, student protests coincide with a period where campaigning is prohibited until voting day. Authorities have begun removing election-related billboards and posters in preparation.

To maintain order during the election, Indonesian police plan to deploy approximately 25,000 anti-riot officers.