Prabowo Claims Students Paid Rp200 Thousand to Protest, Public Recalls UBK Student Controversy

UPDATEYUK - President Prabowo Subianto's statement about students being paid to participate in demonstrations has drawn public attention. The remarks were made while attending the peak of the 17th National Week (Penas) in Gorontalo and immediately triggered various responses on social media.

In his speech, Prabowo admitted to knowing about the practice of giving money to demonstration participants. He even mentioned that some students received payments of Rp200,000 to join street protests.

"I know who pays for these demonstrations. There are students who are paid Rp 200,000," said Prabowo.

The statement quickly became a public talking point. Some netizens even linked it to the previous controversy involving students from Bung Karno University (UBK) after attending an event with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

However, to date, there has been no official statement connecting Prabowo's remarks to the UBK student case. Nevertheless, because both involve students and the issue of money being given, the two events have been widely compared by the public on various social media platforms.

The UBK Student Controversy After Meeting Gibran

The UBK student case garnered national attention after several students who attended an event with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka made admissions.

During the event, information circulated about transportation money received by participants. The amount became a subject of public debate after several students claimed to have received money after attending the agenda.

The controversy widened when it was alleged that some participants attended not solely out of interest in the event, but due to certain compensation. On the other hand, some parties emphasized that providing transportation money in official events is not new and is commonly done to help cover participants' attendance costs.

Read Also: Palace Begins Investigating Allegations of Students Receiving Money After Meeting Gibran

The debate then evolved into a broader discussion about the line between transportation money, event stipends, and allegations of mass mobilization in political or social activities.

When Prabowo made his statement about students being paid to participate in demonstrations, some of the public immediately connected it to the ongoing debate regarding UBK students.

Prabowo Emphasizes the Importance of National Unity

In the same speech, Prabowo did not only touch upon alleged paid demonstrators. The President also emphasized the importance of maintaining national unity amidst various political and social differences developing in society.

According to him, all elements of the nation should unite to support the national development being carried out by the government.

"This nation should be united. If something is lacking, it should still be supported first, and then corrected after the competition is over. It seems we are not proud of what our own nation produces," said Prabowo.

The President believes that a spirit of togetherness is an important asset for Indonesia to face various global challenges, from the economy and food security to human resource development.

Therefore, he urged all people to prioritize national interests above group interests or political differences.

The Issue of Paid Demonstrators Becomes a Debate Again

Prabowo's statement also made the issue of paid demonstrators a hot topic again. For a long time, accusations of paid mass mobilization have often emerged in various demonstrations held in Indonesia.

However, to date, this issue has often been difficult to prove comprehensively because it involves various parties and different interests.

Political observers believe that accusations of paid demonstrators or participants receiving certain compensation need to be clearly distinguished. This is because there is a difference between transportation costs provided for an event and payments intended to mobilize masses for specific interests.

Amidst the widespread discussion, the public is now awaiting further explanation regarding Prabowo's statement about students who are said to have received payment to participate in demonstrations.

Read Also: Allegations of Fund Flows to UBK Students Emerge, Police Chief's Name Also Mentioned

Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding UBK students and the event with Gibran Rakabuming Raka remains one of the issues continuously discussed by the public, especially on social media.

Although there is no direct link between the two events, the emergence of similar issues involving students and the giving of money has reignited public debate in recent days.