Demonstrations are a product of democratic politics, people can express their opinions in public places together to criticize government policies.
But although it is a political product, in reality demonstrations also arise because of the economic background, because of stagnant incomes, incomes that are too unequal, or precisely because of rising prices so that the income that people have today is not enough to meet their needs.
Recently, in September 2022, there have been widespread demonstrations in response to the increase in fuel prices, especially the Petralite type, which rose 30% more than the previous price of Rp. 7,650,- to Rp. 10,000. Previously, demonstrations related to the economy were also carried out in response to the passing of the 2020 Job Creation Law.
As has often been discussed in this blog that the government should not say subsidies are a burden (see: https://www.profitbersih.id/en/artikel-subsidies-for-the-people-salaries-for-state-officials)
The government has an obligation to take care of its people, the government must think of ways out of various problems faced by the people in general, such as economic problems. If it has to change the economic system so that the people become prosperous, then the government must dare to do it.
Pancasila sila "social justice for all Indonesian people" with the symbol of rice and cotton which means "prosperity and welfare", and the purpose of statehood in the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution "to promote general welfare", has very clearly mandated the government to achieve it.
The people will certainly contribute also in the form of thoughts, some of which must express their thoughts on the streets, in order to get the attention of the government.
However, the author always chooses that economic changes and improvements must be done fundamentally, do not want to do patchwork continuously, various policies that are right certainly have no problem, they can still be continued, but policies that actually burden the people must certainly be reviewed. (see: https://www.profitbersih.id/en/artikel-job-creation-work-or-business).
Economic demonstrations are still needed, at least to remind the government, but in the future, the author hopes that economic changes can be carried out fundamentally, through the Islamic economic system, an economy based on the One and Only God.