BEM FISIP Unair Suspended from Duty; KIKA Draws Parallels to the Soeharto Era

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Rina Mardiana, Indonesian Academic Freedom Group (KIKA) member, criticized the recent suspension of the Student Governing Body (BEM) Airlangga University Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) (Uniair) and authoritarian period soeharto. This suspension was in response to a satirical floral arrangement created by BEM FISIP Unair for President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

KIKA’s “Observing Academic Freedom in the New Government Era?” “When I see a situation like this, it reminds me of the Soeharto era,” Rina said during the online discussion. On Sunday, October 27, 2024.

Rina argued that the crackdown on critical thinking and expression indicates a decline in academic freedom on campus.

Lecturer at Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) suggested that BEM’s suspension was a result of the President’s decision prabowo‘s statement calls on those who disagree with his government to refrain from intervening.

“People who do not want to cooperate do not intervene,” Prabowo said during the National Coordination Meeting of the National Mandate Party (PAN) at JS Luwansa Hotel in South Jakarta on Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Rina believes this statement has created a domino effect, influencing higher education institutions to align with the government. However, he emphasized the important role of academics in critically examining and evaluating government policies.

BEM FISIP Unair President Tuffahati Ulayyah confirmed the suspension, directly attributing it to the controversial flower arrangement. The arrangement, which included satirical hashtags and messages, was widely spread on social media.

Unair FISIP Dean Bagong Suyanto has scheduled a meeting with BEM FISIP Unair on Monday, October 28, 2024 to discuss the issue further.

Hanaa Septiana And Sultan Abdurrahman contributed to the writing of this article.

Editor’s Choice: Unair Frozen After BEM FISIP Created Satirical Flower Arrangement for Prabowo-Gibran

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