JARTAKA; Indonesia’s government moved on Sunday to cut back on lawmakers’ financial perks after a wave of violent protests left at least five people dead and exposed mounting public anger over economic inequality and police conduct.
The unrest, which began last week, was triggered by public outrage at revelations that legislators were receiving housing allowances nearly ten times higher than Jakarta’s minimum wage. Anger intensified after a widely circulated video showed a motorcycle taxi driver, Affan Kurniawan, being fatally run over by a police vehicle during a protest. His death sparked demonstrations across major cities, with several escalating into riots.
President Prabowo Subianto, addressing the nation, announced that parliament had agreed to revoke “several policies,” including generous allowances and overseas trips for lawmakers, though he did not specify details. He stressed that the right to peaceful assembly would be respected, but warned against acts of violence, looting, or damage to public property, which he said could “veer into treason and terrorism.”
Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin vowed that security forces would take “firm action” against rioters. Their comments came after the home of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati was looted, while other lawmakers also reported attacks on their residences. Protesters have torched government buildings in Lombok, Makassar, and Surabaya, with a police headquarters set ablaze in East Java.
At least three people were killed in Makassar on Friday when demonstrators set fire to a council building, while another man suspected of being an intelligence officer was beaten to death by a mob.
Civil unrest has spread rapidly from Jakarta to Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, and Medan, raising fears of prolonged instability. Authorities have tightened security in the capital, with police increasing patrols. TikTok, which has over 100 million users in Indonesia, temporarily suspended its live-streaming feature amid concerns that it was being used to mobilize crowds. Schools in Jakarta shifted classes online, while many civil servants were instructed to work from home.
Rights groups criticized the government’s response. Amnesty International Indonesia described the president’s remarks as “insensitive,” urging comprehensive reforms rather than piecemeal concessions. Analysts also warned that unless deeper grievances over rising costs of living and perceived privileges of the elite were addressed, unrest would likely continue.
The crisis, the most serious of Prabowo’s presidency so far, has already forced him to cancel a planned trip to China. Seven police officers involved in Kurniawan’s death have been detained pending investigation, but analysts caution that public anger runs deeper than one incident.
