Hundreds of Indonesian security personnel were deployed in Jakarta on Wednesday ahead of student protests against President Prabowo Subianto’s policies and the government’s response to widespread forest fires.

Students from the University of Indonesia said they planned demonstrations at several locations across the capital. The protests aim to pressure the government to take stronger action against wildfires affecting Sumatra and Borneo.

Students Demand National Disaster Declaration

The demonstrators are calling on the government to declare the ongoing wildfires a national disaster. They are also demanding an end to spending on populist programmes, including Prabowo’s free meals scheme.

The students said they would hold the demonstrations under the hashtag #IndonesiaAware. However, the expected number of participants remained unclear.

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Police and military personnel were visible in busy areas of central Jakarta on Wednesday morning. Armoured vehicles were also deployed as authorities prepared for the demonstrations.

Protests Spread Across Fire-Affected Regions

Demonstrations have also taken place in haze-affected areas of Borneo and Sumatra. Protesters gathered in Central Kalimantan last week to raise concerns about the fires and their impact on local communities.

The unrest comes as Prabowo faces growing public scrutiny over his administration’s policies. Surveys by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) indicate that his approval ratings have declined steadily since late last year, according to the supplied report.

Indonesia Faces Renewed Protest Pressure

Indonesia’s most recent major protest wave took place in August, when authorities detained hundreds of people. Students also staged demonstrations last week.

In 2025, nationwide protests continued for weeks following the police killing of a motorcycle taxi driver. Several other people died during the unrest, according to the supplied report.

Wednesday’s demonstrations reflect mounting public concerns over the government’s handling of environmental emergencies and its spending priorities. The scale of the protests and the government’s response remained uncertain.