Jakarta – The hashtag Indonesia Gelap suddenly trended on social media, especially on X, formerly known as Twitter, since Monday night (February 17, 2025). This hashtag resonates as a reflection of the public’s disappointment with several policies of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
The massive demonstration actions carried out by the Indonesian Student Alliance (BEM SI) and various elements of civil society were the triggers.
Students from various parts of Indonesia took to the streets, voicing their concerns over policies deemed detrimental to the people and making Indonesia’s future appear bleak.
This action is marked by the use of the Garuda emblem with a black background, unlike previous similar protests that used a blue background, indicating a more serious escalation.
This student demonstration was triggered by various government policies that are considered not to be in favor of the people, especially in terms of education, agrarian issues, and social justice.
Students and social activists use the hashtag “Indonesia Gelap” as a symbol of resistance against what they perceive as worsening conditions.
This protest has spread and gained widespread attention on various social media platforms, including comments from verified accounts on X.
“Every day, the problems in Indonesia just keep increasing,” wrote the blue checkmark account @virg. “This country is in really bad shape, I see,” wrote the blue-verified account @arif
Another netizen with the account @jack* voiced, “Long live the struggle.” “#IndonesiaGelap let’s pray together that Indonesia becomes bright again,” replying to @thre*
Hashtag Indonesia Darkness is not just a literal expression of gloom, but also represents the lack of clarity in government policy direction and the absence of transparency.
Many people feel that Indonesia’s future looks bleak. The emergence of this hashtag highlights the importance of social media as a tool for social control, giving a voice to those who have been marginalized for a long time. The government needs to respond seriously to these societal aspirations.
Demands of the Dark Indonesia Action
Demonstrations held in various regions demand several specific things. In the issue of education, the demands include free, scientific, and democratic education; the cancellation of detrimental education budget cuts; and the realization of the budget for lecturer performance allowances.
Regarding agrarian issues, the demands include the revocation of problematic national strategic projects (PSN) and true agrarian reform to prevent the seizure of people’s land.
Meanwhile, in social justice, the demands include the rejection of the revision of the Minerba Law, which is considered to silence criticism; the abolition of the TNI’s multifunctional role to prevent repression and support democratic life; and the revocation of Presidential Instruction number 1 of 2025, which is considered to threaten important issues for the people such as education and health.
In addition, the evaluation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to ensure it is targeted and not used as a political tool is also a demand.
This action also calls for a comprehensive evaluation of various government policies that are considered biased against the people and have led to a decline in welfare.
Although the available information does not provide a complete picture of the overall condition of the country, the hashtag “Indonesia Gelap” indicates significant social and political tensions.
This wave of protests is not the first. Previously, the hashtag #EmergencyAlert also went viral with a blue background on August 21, 2024, as a protest against the DPR regarding the Regional Election Bill. The difference in background color indicates the difference in issues and the level of severity felt by the public.
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