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Why Are Antigovernment Protests Taking Place In Indonesia?

Violent antigovernment protests against a range of cost-of-living issues have roiled Indonesia, and anger boiled over after the killing of a motorcycle taxi driver who was hit by a police vehicle during a demonstration in the capital Jakarta. In a recorded video address on Friday, President Prabowo Subianto called for calm and asked the people to “trust the government and my leadership”. The riots are the culmination of months of economic and political frustration.

They follow reports that 580 parliamentarians receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,000) in addition to their salaries. The allowance, introduced last year, is almost 10 times the Jakarta minimum wage and about 20 times the monthly minimum wage in poor areas of the country. Police and members of parliament are widely perceived as being corrupt by the populace of more than 280 million people. Gejayan Memanggil, one of the groups organising the protest, said that demonstrators were calling for a salary cut for parliamentarians, whom he described as “corrupt elites”.

At the same time, protesters claim taxes and inflation are making life impossible for many. Organisers have been demanding that the minimum wage be raised in accordance with the inflation rates. Prabowo, a former military general, campaigned on the promise of taking economic growth to 8 percent within five years and making Southeast Asia’s largest economy attractive for investments. But observers have dismissed his pledge as too ambitious, and President Donald Trump’s tariffs on US trading partners have added to the uncertainty.

Nationwide protests began on Monday, when black-clad demonstrators threw rocks and set off fireworks at riot police as they attempted to break into Indonesia’s parliament building. Public unrest continued the following days, but on Thursday, a video on social media showing the death of the motorcycle taxi driver shocked the nation and spurred more violence against security forces. Affan Kurniawan, 21, was reportedly completing a food delivery service order when an armoured police vehicle ran into him outside Indonesia’s House of Representatives as riot police dispersed crowds.

Protesters marched to the headquarters of the police mobile brigade in the capital Jakarta on Friday, and some destroyed traffic signs and other infrastructure, causing traffic to come to a standstill in the area. As night fell, the clashes continued and quickly rippled in Jakarta and beyond, with tear gas lingering in the air and protesters refusing to disperse. In Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, protesters stormed the governor’s office compound after destroying fences and setting fire to vehicles. Security forces fired tear gas and used water cannon, but demonstrators fought back with fireworks and wooden clubs.

Demonstrations also took place in other cities across the country, including Surabaya, Solo, Yogyakarta, Medan, Makassar, Manado, Bandung and Manokwari in the easternmost Papua region. Indonesia’s general-turned-president has called for a “thorough and transparent investigation” into Kurniawan’s death. This will be a test for Prabowo’s administration, amid a steep selloff in Indonesia’s stocks, which closed at 1.5 percent on Friday, while the rupiah slid 0.8 percent against the US dollar. A further economic downturn could add fuel to the fire as Prabowo tries to assuage the population.

Upon being elected, Prabowo promised to “work democratically”, but warned that he would not shy away from taking “decisive action” if needed. Critics and opposition leaders have expressed concern that the former general might resort to autocratic means to remain in power.

Source https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/...e-in-indonesia

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The driver of a police armoured vehicle today admitted to hitting and causing the death of 21-year-old motorcycle taxi rider, Affan Kurniawan, during a protest against the allowance of MPs in Jakarta. He told an internal investigation that the chaotic situation caused him to not be able to see the victim.

"The highway is filled with stones, there is smoke in the vehicle. I am just focused on the future," said the driver during an interrogation session held by the Internal Affairs Division of the National Police (Propam). The situation is already full of pressure from the public," he added, admitting that he continued to drive despite trying to be stopped by the public.

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Thousands of Gojek drivers escorted the body of Affan Kurniawan, 21, who was buried at the Karet Bivak Cemetery, Tanah Abang, this morning. He died after being hit by a police tactical vehicle as authorities dispersed the demonstration.

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Thousands of Workers in Indonesia Demonstrate to Demand Rights

28.08.2025 - Thousands of workers staged demonstrations across Indonesia on Thursday, including in Jakarta and other major cities, to demand better welfare, an end to the outsourcing contract system and mass layoffs, as well as labour policy reforms, amid tight security controls at the parliament complex in the capital. It was the second protest in the House of Representatives this week, after hundreds of workers marched on Monday to denounce the high salaries and allowances of MPs as the people face economic hardship. Thursday's protest was organised by the Labour Party along with major trade unions, including the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) led by Said Iqbal.

"Workers gathered in the capital, with similar demonstrations in Batam, Surabaya, Medan and other industrial centres, demanding the termination of external service contracts and mass layoffs, as well as labour tax reforms and an increase in the tax-free income threshold," he said in a statement.

Workers are also urging parliament to pass a separate labour bill from the 2020 "Omnibus Law", a reform that brings together dozens of rules to attract investment and jobs but has been criticised for weakening workers' rights. The union also urged parliament to pass the long-delayed asset forfeiture bill to combat corruption and amend election rules ahead of the 2029 General Election. Demonstrations were held in 38 provinces across the country. Meanwhile, Jakarta police have deployed more than 4,531 personnel, including riot police and military units, to guard security at the parliament complex. Traffic lanes will also be provided in case protesters block the main road, said police spokesman Commissioner Ade Ary Syam Indradi, urging protesters to remain peaceful and not to use toll highways.

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