UMS Student Alliance Action: the Aftermath of Red-tinted BEM UMS President’s Record
Sukoharjo, LPM Campus — Aliansi Mahasiswa Menggugat Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) held an action as a form of lawsuit against UMS Student President Firdaus Nurillahi Rauufan Rizkia for his red record during his tenure, ranging from defects in governance to the loss of independence of BEM due to his involvement in practical politics. The action, which was attended by UMS students from various organizations, was held on Tuesday, January 23rd of 2024, in front of the Siti Walidah Main Building, Campus 2 UMS.
This action took place at around 15.00 Western Standard Time (WIB), starting with a joint walk from the Griya Mahasiswa UMS yard carrying banners and action attributes. The alliance then stopped in front of the Siti Walidah Main Building to hold a speech demanding Firdaus to step down from his position as President of Student Executive Board (BEM) because he was considered incompetent and not independent.
In the oration, several things were demanded by the masses, namely accountability for the election process of Firdaus as President, which was considered flawed, promises to reform the student government that were not implemented, the loss of independence of students due to their involvement in practical political activities, and the lack of transparency of funds in the implementation of work programs that are often complained about by other BEM functionaries.
“The existing problems have been going on for a very long time, but when we (Aliansi Mahasiswa Menggugat) saw the problem getting more complex, we coordinated for about two days to organize this event with alliances from various student movements,” Dian Farid Alfurqon, one of the students who are members of Aliansi Mahasiswa Menggugat, explained about the preparation of this action.
“This action is also one of the reasons that UMS must appear as a university with students who have ideas that give birth to a movement of change, and when the movement runs in ways like this, the quality of the system will get worse,” he said.
In line with Dian, the Head of the UMS Student Affairs Bureau, Ahmad Kholid Alghofari, who was present and welcomed the demands, supported similar activities as a form of learning for students. “This can be a lesson for fellow students to oversee BEM so that it can run better as the voice of students who represent a campus as big as UMS.”
Aliansi Mahasiswa Menggugat will urge the campus to ask for clarity on the demands submitted to the President directly and hold discussions with campus bureaucrats to take the best steps so that democracy at UMS runs healthily and properly if the demands brought by the masses are not implemented within 24 hours.
Reporters : Permai Dwiki Maradon (Islamic Education ‘22), Ramiro Rafa Rajendra (Communication Studies ‘23), Dita Amelia Kusuma Wardani (Accounting ‘22), Abdillah Umar Hakam Alfaruq (Islamic Education ‘21), Kenya Nurrin Khasanah (Civil Engineering ‘21), Shafira Ayyu Listia (Communication Studies ‘21), Intan Dewi Saputri (Accounting ‘22)
Writer : Yasmin Alifah/ International Islamic Education ‘22
Editor : Kenya Nurrin Khasanah/ Civil Engineering ‘21
