Jakarta – University of Indonesia's Student Executive Body with the Faculty of Economics (BEM FE UI) threatens to hold strike and refuses to go for lecture in protest to unending controversy shrouding the university following honoris causa doctorate degree awarded to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia by the university management under embattled rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri.

"We call on all students to have lecture-strike after we see existing data and facts [surrounding the controversy]. We deny any forms of intimidation and declare lecture-strike pending the solution for the problem," BEM FE UI chairman Dzulfian said in front of students, professors, deans and lecturers at the UI campus in Depok on Monday. The lecture-strike will be held for a week, starting Tuesday.

Dzulfian said that the strike was to prompt rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri to immediately invite all parties to sit down and talk in order to end the dispute related to widespread criticism over the university's poor management under the rector's leadership.

"We are all embarrassed by this problem. The strike will start tomorrow and our faculty [Economics Faculty] will initiate the strike," said Dzulfian as quoted by kompas.com.

Meanwhile, BEM UI chairman Maman Abdurrahman said that students other faculties might follow the suit. Maman said the controversy on the award for the King of Saudi Arabia reflects "tip of the iceberg" happening in the country's top state university.

The rector recently awarded King Abdullah with an honoris causa in humanitarian aid and technology. The university reasoned that the king had done good work in these fields.

The award presentation drew widespread, especially from activists championing the rights of migrant workers as the award was given just a few months after Saudi authorities executed an Indonesian worker by the name of Ruyati after she was found to have murdered her employer there.