Desy Nurhayati and Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – Joining a string of anti-government demonstrations held in big cities across the country, several groups from NGOs and students of Udayana University held peaceful rallies in Denpasar on Thursday.
Hundreds of protesters denounced the performance of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Boediono concerning their first 100 days in office. The masses concentrated in front of the BI building and the provincial council's office in Renon.
Students of Udayana University staged the rally in front of the campus, yelling "Dethrone SBY and Boediono", while claiming that the government's 100-day program was nonsense.
The students' representative Agus Purnomo said various programs endorsed by the government, such as eradicating judicial mafia, as well as improving education and health, had not produced significant outcomes.
The students also criticized the government for maintaining its policy on the controversial national final exam, which has been used to measure students' eligibility to graduate from elementary and secondary school.
"Ironically, the government claimed that the ministerial Cabinet has achieved 100 percent result, despite many unresolved problems. It seems that the President preferred to shun from problems rather than giving explanations to the public," he said.
"Indeed, it is unfair to judge the government's performance merely from its first 100 days, but we should bear in mind that this is Yudhoyono's second term. His first five-years in office should have been enough to give us a clear portrayal of his performance, so we are demanding SBY and Boediono be dethroned."
The students marched from the campus to continue the rally in front of the BI building, as around 150 police officers stood ready along the route to guard the protesters.
The Denpasar Police deployed around 900 personnel to secure important places across the city, including state administration offices.
Another group of protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights (Ardham) followed suit as they passed by the central bank's office on their way to the provincial council's building to hold an oration.
Representing the protesters, Ambrosius Ardin claimed the first 100 days of Yudhoyono and Boediono "a complete failure", especially in law enforcement, corruption eradication, people's welfare, education and health, and cases of human rights abuse. "SBY and Boediono didn't make any remarkable change for the 210 million people of Indonesia," he said.
The group of eight Bali-based NGOs said that the government's failure to settle the Century case, which had cost the state Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million), had further diminished people's trust in the government.
Around 20 protesters from the Volunteers of People's Struggle for the Nation's Freedom (Spartan) also held a demonstration in front of the central bank, calling on the government to nationalize mining industries and abolish foreign debts.
Meanwhile, the Bali Police office deployed 8,000 personnel to secure Denpasar city from any possible riots that might occur during the anti-government rally Thursday.
"Today's demonstrations ran peacefully," Bali Police Chief Insp. Gen. Sutisna said while inspecting the Benoa harbor Thursday afternoon. "The Balinese people pay respect to any regulation. It is their right to voice their feelings and we are here to protect the people."