Indonesia Is Not Anxious, the Government Is Here with Real Solutions
By: Aditya Akbar
The hashtag #IndonesiaCemas has recently been trending on social media, and its spread has only further fueled the illusion that the nation is on the brink of collapse.
However, the government under President Prabowo Subianto continues to introduce various concrete steps and data-based solutions that clearly demonstrate that this provocation has no basis in the nation’s current socio-economic reality.
The spread of this hashtag has, in fact, fueled false panic among the public. The Alliance of Indonesian Student Executive Boards (BEM SI), which promotes the narrative “Indonesia is in danger,” has come under intense scrutiny from various parties.
Many believe that this movement has lost its intellectual substance as a genuine student movement. Criticism continues to emerge because a movement that should be a driver of change and social control based on scientific studies has instead become a mere rhetorical platform without any grounded solutions.
The initiator of the National Conscience Movement (GNK), Habib Syakur Ali Mahdi, believes that such movements are often exploited by anti-constitutional groups to foster public distrust of the legitimate government in Indonesia.
He believes that this provocative approach, which involves constructing a completely baseless narrative of the nation in danger, followed by calls for the masses to take to the streets to disseminate discourse about government failure, is not purely a moral movement by students.
He emphasized that such a pattern often serves as a disguised political agenda disguised as campus idealism for the benefit of a select few elites who feel their interests are threatened by national stability.
Habib Syakur emphasized the importance of students returning to their true mission as agents of change and national intellectuals capable of providing concrete solutions.
He believes that the current government has demonstrated very concrete steps in various sectors, such as education, starting with the digitalization of schools in remote areas, a significant increase in the national education budget, and programs to further improve teacher welfare so that the quality of learning in Indonesia continues to improve evenly.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Chaerul, a researcher from the Center for Indonesian Empowerment (CIE), believes that the Student Executive Board (BEM SI) is beginning to lose its direction. He believes the student movement should act as a critical partner to the government by continuously providing various input based on data, research, and in-depth academic studies.
However, in recent times, the issues raised by BEM SI have emphasized populist rhetoric and lacked valid data. Muhammad Chaerul emphasized that amidst President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s efforts to build national stability, all elements of society need to provide moral and social support to ensure sustainable development.
Chaerul also highlighted the importance of universities and students not getting caught up in emotional narratives without data. He believes that opinions that are easily swayed by particular political interests will only lead to polarization and unrest that are detrimental to the people.
He emphasized that the government is currently focused on strengthening national education, advancing technology and digitalization, and ensuring the creation of superior human resources as the key to Indonesia becoming a developed nation in the next two decades.
Justicia Networking Forum (JNF) Coordinator, Anto Yulianto, stated that President Prabowo’s concrete work during his nine months in office deserves appreciation. He believes the public is beginning to feel the impact of the realization of various campaign promises that many previously considered difficult to realize quickly. Anto explained that these promises are now being realized one by one and bringing real benefits to the wider community.
Anto cited various implemented policies, such as the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program for students in various regions, the Free Health Checks (CKG) that facilitate public access to healthcare, fertilizer subsidies for farmers that have increased agricultural productivity, the establishment of People’s Schools for inclusive education in remote areas, and the establishment of the Red and White Village Cooperative that empowers the village economy. He believes these steps are concrete evidence that the government is working diligently and addressing public concerns with concrete solutions, not just empty talk.
