Indonesia: Thousands of students protest rumoured election delay

President Joko Widodo had promised not to delay elections and forcefully hold onto power, but many say his statements don't convince. Monday's protests echoed those that ousted former President Suharto.

Protesters run away as riot police officers fire tear gas, during a rally against proposals floated by some ministers to extend Indonesian President Joko Widodo's term and postpone the 2024 election, near the Parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia April 11, 2022. Antara Foto/Galih Pradipta/ via REUTERS

By: Deutsche Welle

3 min readApr 11, 2022 10:32 PM IST First published on: Apr 11, 2022 at 10:32 PM IST

Thousands of students in major cities across Indonesia on Monday protested a rise in food prices and a possible elongation of President Joko Widodo’s term in office.

Wearing neon jackets and raising megaphones, the students rallied in South Sulawesi, West Java and the capital Jakarta, following rumors that President Widodo could shift 2024 general elections in an attempt to forcefully hold onto power.

That would be against the country’s two-term limit. Widodo is currently in the final years of a second term, before the next election in 2024.

Chants about protecting Indonesia’s democracy and limiting soaring fuel and food prices rented the air from the demonstrators.

University students take part in a rally against proposals floated by some ministers to extend Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s term and postpone the 2024 election, near the Parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia April 11, 2022. Antara Foto/Galih Pradipta/ via REUTERS

”We demand that the lawmakers do not betray the country’s constitution by amending it,” one protest coordinator identified as Kaharuddin, told the Associated Press. ”We want them to listen to people’s aspirations.”
Police fired tear gas and water canon against the protesters.

Jakarta police said a university lecturer who was participating in the protest sustained “grave” injuries after a “non-student” group battered and stomped on him. Six police officers who tried to help the lecturer were also injured, he added.

Avoiding a repeat of strongman rule

Monday’s protests echoed those from almost two decades ago when similar student-led demonstrations toppled the regime of former President Suharto, who led for decades with an iron fist. He was ousted in 1998.

Riot police fire tear gas during a protest near the Parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia April 11, 2022. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan

Unlike Suharto, Widodo has maintained some popularity, according to recent polls.

But “Jokowi,” as the president is also known, has been heavily criticised for not speaking out strongly against rumours of a possible postponement of elections set for February 2024.

Powerful political figures, including two ministers, who publicly backed a delayed election have fuelled rising tensions.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo gestures during an interview in Bebatu, near Tarakan, North Kalimantan province, Indonesia, October 19, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo

President Widodo himself has publicly spoken out against the idea. He told his cabinet last week to focus on addressing the country’s economic woes, stressing that “nobody should bring up a (presidential) term extension or election delay anymore.”

But there is still strong scepticism regarding the President’s intentions.

Crowds of demonstrators storming the parliament building at Monday’s protests said halting elections would threaten the country’s democracy.

Indonesian police fired tear gas and deployed water cannons on the protestors forcing them to scuttle away. Local reporters say rocks were thrown into the complex after non-student protestors joined the rally.

Lawmakers addressed the students, vowing to keep election dates intact.