Bento Was Our Anthem, What Song Will Save Us Now?
TWENTY-seven years have passed since student voices reverberated through the streets of Jakarta, demanding sweeping reforms to dismantle the New Order regime. May 1998 remains a historic milestone, marking the moment when university students emerged as catalysts for change, toppling authoritarian power through sheer collective will. Photo: Claudio Schwarz/Unsplash. Their actions were not merely fueled by youthful idealism, but by a profound moral obligation to respond to a nation in crisis: economically, politically, and in terms of public trust. Students from across Indonesia converged on the capital with clear, uncompromising demands -- resign, prosecute corrupt officials, eradicate corruption, collusion, and nepotism (KKN), and initiate total reform. Today, a sobering question arises: does that same spirit still course through the veins of students in 2025? Or has it been overtaken by the race to create digital content, secure foreign scholarships, and pursue personal ambition? ...