The wave of violent protests that have swept across Indonesia and left seven people dead is being seen as a major test for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Clashes between riot police and rock-throwing protesters that began in the capital last week quickly spread beyond Jakarta.
Angry protesters in several cities set fire to regional parliament buildings, police headquarters and damaged infrastructures in the unrest that included looting and the burning of vehicles.
Subianto on Sunday ordered the security forces to take firm action against the protests.
“There are signs of unlawful acts, even leading to treason and terrorism,” he said. “To the police and the military, I have ordered them to take action as firm as possible against the destruction of public facilities, looting at homes of individuals and economic centres, according to the laws.”
Subianto cancelled a high-profile trip to China to attend the Victory Day Parade in Beijing this coming Wednesday, citing escalating nationwide protests.
Here’s what to know about the protests:
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Indonesia’s parliament and across the country on Monday to demand reform and justice as they defied fears of a crackdown following deadly riots on the weekend. Demonstrations began a week ago over the government’s spending priorities, including perks for lawmakers, and escalated after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle ride-sharing driver.
Cause of the unrest
Public outrage emerged across the world’s third-largest democracy after reports that all 580 members of the House of Representatives receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($4,179 Cdn), in addition to their salaries.
The allowance, which was introduced last year, is nearly 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta.
Critics argue that the perk is both excessive and insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with a soaring cost of living, taxes and rising unemployment.
Death toll and injuries
The protests grew wider and more violent following the death of 21-year-old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan.
A video on social media, apparently showing his death during a rally in Jakarta on Thursday, shocked the nation and spurred an outcry against the security forces.
Kurniawan was reportedly completing a food delivery order when he was caught up in the clash.
Witnesses told local television that an armoured car from the mobile brigade unit of the Indonesian National Police suddenly sped through the crowd of demonstrators and hit Kurniawan, causing him to fall. Instead of stopping, the car ran over him.
An angry mob late Friday set fire to a local parliament building in the city of Makassar on Sulawesi island, trapping several people in the blaze. Three people died and five others were hospitalized.
In a separate riot in the city, a man who was thought to be a police intelligence agent disguised as a delivery rider was beaten to death by a mob.
The death toll rose to seven after authorities in Yogyakarta said a university student was killed in Friday’s clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
Health officials in Central Java’s Solo city confirmed that a 60-year-old pedicab driver suffering from acute asthma was found unconscious after being exposed to tear gas on Sunday. The driver died while being treated at a hospital.
Jakarta’s health office said that 469 people were injured in violent protests, including 97 who were hospitalized. Among them, 43 victims have been treated at the Bhayangkara police hospital since the clashes began.
The president on Monday visited 14 officers and three civilians still receiving treatment at the hospital, including a woman who suffered a broken thigh after rioters seized her motorcycle while she was on her way to a market.
Demonstrators in Jakarta, Indonesia, were hit with tear gas on Friday during protests over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver, who was allegedly struck by an armored police vehicle at an earlier protest over the salaries and perks of Indonesian legislators.
Subianto blames ‘rioters, not protesters’
After the visit, Subianto said that the violence was fuelled by “rioters, not protesters,” and accused the groups of trying to destabilize the nation.
“Their intention is not to voice aspirations but to cause chaos, disrupt people’s lives and sabotage national development,” Subianto said.
He vowed that he “will not retreat even a step” in confronting rioters responsible for violent unrest across the archipelago country of more than 280 million people.
Cost of the damage
Authorities detained 1,240 rioters after five days of protests in Jakarta. The unrest had caused losses of up to 55 billion rupiah ($4.6 million Cdn) as rioters burned buses and subway stations and damaged other infrastructure, Jakarta Gov. Pramono Anung said.
Escalating violence in Indonesia prompted TikTok to voluntary suspend its live feature, citing measures to keep the platform a safe and civil space.
Foreign embassies and consulates, including Canada, the U.S., Australia, France and Southeast Asian countries, issued a travel warning and have advised their citizens in Indonesia to avoid demonstration areas or large public gatherings.
Government concessions
Flanked by leaders of eight Indonesian political parties, Subianto told a televised news conference in Jakarta that the government would cut lawmakers’ perks and privileges, including the contentious housing allowance, and suspend overseas trips for members of parliament.
It was a rare concession in response to mounting public anger.
Subianto also said that police were investigating seven officers linked to the incident in which Kurniawan, the ride-hailing driver, died. He has instructed the investigation be quick and transparent, conducted in a manner that the public can monitor.
He also would ensure his administration to financially support Kurniawan’s family. The former general further called on the public to express their aspirations in a peaceful and constructive manner, and promised their voices will be heard.
Economic outlook
Analysts see the violent rallies as a culmination of public anger over economic hardship, as well as public officials’ insensitivity and political frustration.
In his campaign for president, Subianto promised to take economic growth to eight per cent within five years and make Southeast Asia’s largest economy attractive for investments.
But observers have dismissed his pledge as too ambitious, with the Trump administration’s 19 per cent tariffs on Indonesian goods adding to the uncertainty.
The World Bank estimates that Indonesia’s economy will grow at 4.8 per cent up to 2027, far below Subianto’s pledge.
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