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Indonesia deploys over 9,000 security personnel amid student protests
Published : Tuesday, 20 October, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Observer Online Report
Indonesian students staged protests in Jakarta on Tuesday as President Prabowo Subianto marked two years in office, prompting authorities to deploy 9,505 security personnel across the capital.
Jakarta police spokesperson Budi Hermanto told Reuters that students from at least two universities had organised demonstrations at various locations across the capital, leading to heightened security measures.
Students from the University of Indonesia are protesting recent wildfires and a sharp stock market decline. They say the market slump and the weakening rupiah reflect vulnerabilities in the national economy.
Meanwhile, environmental group Greenpeace hung a banner at a prominent monument in Jakarta on Tuesday, calling for action on the climate crisis and lower living costs.
Prabowo, a former general, was sworn in as Indonesia’s president on October 20, 2024. Despite winning the election by a wide margin, he faces challenges in restoring public, business and investor confidence amid concerns over the economic impact of his ambitious populist programmes.
According to a public opinion survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), support for Prabowo has declined steadily since late last year. His approval rating fell to 44.5 per cent this month, its lowest level, compared with 81.2 per cent in November last year.
Indonesia’s last major protests took place in August, when hundreds of people were detained. In 2025, nationwide demonstrations erupted following the police killing of a motorcycle taxi driver, with several people killed in the ensuing violence.
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
