JAKARTA: Thousands of Indonesians rallied nationwide today to protest budget cuts by President Prabowo Subianto's government aimed at funding a free-meal programme and other big-ticket campaign pledges.

Austerity measures announced by Prabowo in late last month sparked thousands of student protesters to rally across Indonesian cities earlier this week, underpinned by a social media movement known as "Dark Indonesia".

The president had ordered the budget cuts in an effort to save 306.7 trillion rupiah on office spending, ceremonies and business trips, leaving some civil servants to work under little light and other strict energy-saving conditions in the office.

Former general Prabowo, who took office in October, has said he wants to raise around US$46 billion from spending cuts and by taking from the dividends of state-owned enterprises.

Analysts have said the cuts were likely to shift funds to programmes like the US$4.3 billion free-meal plan for schoolkids to combat stunted growth, and a new sovereign wealth fund.