BEM SI students protest in Surabaya over disaster management

Students from the All-Indonesia Student Executive Body (BEM SI) in East Java held a demonstration at the Grahadi Building in Surabaya on August 31, 2026. The protest served as a symbolic reflection on the nation's current condition, specifically focusing on the government's disaster management response.

Protesters criticized the government for allocating large budgets to programs such as Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) and the Red and White Village Cooperative (KDMP) while neglecting disaster-stricken regions. They highlighted that areas including East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Kalimantan, Aceh, Lampung, Papua, and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) still require significant state attention and recovery efforts. The students demanded that the government prioritize the national budget for disaster relief and the restoration of communities affected by natural disasters.