section_path: Reactions/Domestic/Government
section_name: Government
paragraph_text: Government
  
  During an exclusive interview on 7 April 2025, president Prabowo Subianto called out the demonstrations as a 'provocation', and alleged that foreign parties (such as USAID) funded them.
  
  Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, confirmed amidst the protests that funds allocated to the colleges, Kartu Indonesia Pintar for college, and scholarships will not be cut. Minister of the State Secretariat, Prasetyo Hadi, responded that Indonesia "is not really dark" as the slogan suggests, and called for the students to be optimistic. Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Fauzan asked the student protesters to increase their intellectual abilities. The spokesman for the Presidential Communication Office, Adita Erawati, confirmed that a few demands presented by the protesters have been answered by the government, such as tuition fees not being increased nor scholarships being discontinued. Fellow spokesman Ujang Komarudin responded that Indonesia is still 'bright', not 'dark' as the slogan suggests. He also confirmed that there would be no cuts to scholarships, tuition fees would be not raised, and free health check would continue.
  
  The speaker of People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Ahmad Muzani, judged the public reaction during the protests as excessive and contraproductive. Deputy speaker of MPR, Eddy Soeparno called for the students to be optimistic and claimed that pessimism only brings the situation into a stalemate. The deputy speaker of House of Representatives (DPR), Adies Kadir, regarded the demonstrations as a form of creativity by the students to voice their aspiration. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN), responded to the #IndonesiaGelap hashtag, which was used by student demonstrators protesting various government policies. He argued that Indonesia has been progressing well, despite certain shortcomings, which he noted are not unique to the country but are also experienced by other nations, including the United States. Luhut rejected the notion that Indonesia is in a dire state and that the government is progressing well. He stated that the protesters are 'dark', and not Indonesia.
  
  Anticipating the coordinated nationwide protests on 20 February which coincides with inauguration of regional heads elected from 2024 Indonesian local elections, Indonesian National Police (Polri) urged students to not stage any protests in the vicinity of the state palace or disrupt the inauguration ceremony.
  
  Deputy speaker of the DPR, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, viewed the protests against the Armed Forces Law as normal in a democratic country.