Deadly Indonesia protests force U-turn on lawmakers’ pay
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Indonesia’s Prabowo calls for calm, plans to revoke lawmakers’ perks after protests escalate into looting
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto appealed for calm and order on Aug 31. Nationwide anger over parliamentarian perks and rising living costs for the average citizen erupted into mob attacks earlier that day. Protesters stormed and looted the homes of senior officials and lawmakers. The first house stormed was that of parliamentarian Ahmad Sahroni, notorious for flaunting his fleet of luxury cars. He had earlier labelled Indonesians who demanded that Parliament be dissolved as ‘the dumbest people in the world’ and called protesters ‘jerks’ Hundreds of protesters also broke into homes of Mr Surya Utama, a television personality better known as Uya Kuya, and comedian-turned-lawmaker Eko Patrio. Mr Eko’s prized Angora cat was snatched by intruders as crowds livestreamed the looting. His speech comes as several protests have swept across Jakarta and other cities, evolving into what protesters call “people’S justice’. Some of their home addresses have been made public in a wave of doxxing.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto speaks about a recent wave of nationwide protests during a press conference in Jakarta on Aug 31.
– Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto appealed for calm and order on Aug 31, after nationwide anger over parliamentarian perks and rising living costs for the average citizen erupted into mob attacks earlier that day, with protesters storming and looting the homes of senior officials .
“I ask all citizens to trust the government, to remain calm. The government that I lead is determined to always fight for the interests of the people, including the smallest, the most left behind,” said Mr Prabowo during a televised address where he appeared alongside senior politicians including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and Golkar chairman Bahlil Lahadalia.
Mr Prabowo, who had cancelled a planned trip to China as violent protests turned fatal with at least five deaths in recent days, said the House leadership plans to revoke several policies, “including the size of allowances for House members and a moratorium on overseas work trips”.
These were among the perks granted in a new allowances package for lawmakers that first triggered the Aug 25 protests outside the national Parliament in Jakarta.
Mr Prabowo said lawmakers must reflect, and “must always be sensitive and always side with the interests of the people”. For errant lawmakers, “firm action” will be taken against them by party leaders, he added.
His speech comes as several protests have swept across Jakarta and other cities, evolving into what protesters call “people’s justice” where enraged crowds hunt down officials and lawmakers, with some of their home addresses made public in a wave of doxxing .
During his speech, Mr Prabowo said he had ordered security forces to take “stern action” against unlawful acts, such as vandalising of homes and public or commercial areas.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati was one of the most high-profile targets. In the early hours of Aug 31, mobs forced their way into her residence in the upscale Bintaro district, outside Jakarta. Videos showed protesters smashing property and carrying away valuables – from electronics and paintings to clothing and furniture.
“I was shocked because they forced their way into the housing complex, shouting and causing chaos,” resident Agung was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Globe. “They took things from the minister’s house. I was afraid they might come into our homes too.”
Public anger had been building against Dr Mulyani following a viral deepfake video that shows her calling teachers a “burden”, alongside her own controversial remarks equating taxes with Islamic alms, or zakat.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati was one of the most high-profile targets. In the early hours of Aug 31, mobs forced their way into her residence in the upscale Bintaro district, outside Jakarta. PHOTOS: SOCIAL MEDIA, BLOOMBERG
Other lawmakers also came under fire. The first house stormed was that of parliamentarian Ahmad Sahroni, notorious for flaunting his fleet of luxury cars. He had earlier labelled Indonesians who demanded that Parliament be dissolved as “the dumbest people in the world” and called protesters “jerks”. Online footage showed mobs smashing his sports cars and distributing seized luxury items, including Louis Vuitton handbags and a Richard Mille watch .
Hundreds of protesters also broke into the homes of Mr Surya Utama, a television personality better known as Uya Kuya, and comedian-turned-lawmaker Eko Patrio . Mr Eko’s prized Angora cat was snatched by intruders as crowds livestreamed the looting.
The pair, both members of the National Mandate Party, had been heavily criticised after a video emerged of them dancing during Parliament’s Aug 15 session, ahead of the Aug 17 Independence Day – behaviour widely derided as tone-deaf amid worsening economic hardship. They apologised on Aug 30.
In a sombre Instagram video, Mr Surya said: “I sincerely apologise from the bottom of my heart to all Indonesians.”
Mr Eko, who is in his fourth parliamentary term, promised to “be more cautious” and “faithfully uphold my oath as a representative of the people”.
“I fully realise that this situation brings pain to the nation, especially to the families of victims,” Mr Eko added.
Protesters gather in front of a police headquarters that was burned and looted during demonstrations in Surabaya on Aug 31. PHOTO: AFP
Witch hunt
The raids on residences represent the most dramatic escalation of public anger since demonstrations began on Aug 25 over a new allowances package for lawmakers.
This granted them, among other benefits, 50 million rupiah (S$3,900) a month for housing, 12 million rupiah for food, and 7 million rupiah for transport, on top of a base salary of 6.5 million rupiah.
Protests intensified on Aug 28 after a 21-year-old delivery and ride-hailing motorbike rider, Mr Affan Kurniawan, was run over by a Brimob police tactical vehicle, sparking arson, clashes with the authorities, and widespread unrest across several provinces.
On Aug 29, the national police confirmed that seven officers had violated the force’s professional code of ethics in the incident and were placed under 20 days of special detention , effective the same day .
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, three others died as protesters set fire to the local Parliament building on Aug 30.
In his address on Aug 31, Mr Prabowo said that the officers responsible for Mr Affan’s death would be held accountable.
Indonesia has a history of street anger erupting into political upheaval – from the fall of Mr Suharto in 1998 to student rallies in 2019 against controversial laws curbing anti-graft powers and penalising extramarital sex.
For many Indonesians, viral images of politicians’ mansions being torn apart have become a potent symbol of frustration at a political class perceived as being out of touch with ordinary struggles.
Calls for calm
Others have also called for cool and calm to prevail. Many, mindful of the shadow cast by the May 1998 riots when ethnic Chinese Indonesians were targeted and their homes looted, are warning one another not to escalate the current situation into racial riots.
Activist Andreas Harsono, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said he supports the protests but also added that the authorities must act against looters.
He described the unrest as a reflection of deep public anger at politicians and criticised a system in which MPs are legally more accountable to their party leaders than to voters. He noted that at least 37 local Parliament buildings have been attacked, some set ablaze, underscoring the scale of the anger.
“I support street protests and am disappointed with the behaviour of some MPs, but no one can take the law into their own hands. The authorities must act firmly against looters,” he told The Straits Times.
Protests in Jakarta have intensified since Aug 25 and have evolved into what protesters call “people’s justice”, where enraged crowds have started to force their way into and loot lawmakers’ residences. PHOTO: REUTERS
Several countries have issued travel warnings for Indonesia amid escalating nationwide protests and looting, including the United States, Britain, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
The US urged its citizens to avoid crowds and remain alert in tourist areas, while Singapore advised its nationals to steer clear of areas where anti-government protests are being held and to avoid large public gatherings.
“You should stay vigilant, monitor developments through the local news and heed instructions by local authorities,” the Singapore embassy posted on its official Facebook page on Aug 30.
Escalating unrest
In the wake of violent protests and riots, Jakarta and several provinces bear the scars of unrest. Streets once bustling with life are littered with charred vehicles, broken gates and burnt bus stops. Bottles and sticks lie scattered across the ground.
The Parliament building in Makassar now stands as a hollowed-out skeleton, its windows shattered and walls scorched by flames.
Protests, although in smaller groups , continued on the night of Aug 30 but were confined to areas such as the Parliament building and Brimob headquarters.
Protests also eased in Jakarta on Aug 31 as the capital’s weekly car-free day went ahead as usual. Main roads along Sudirman and Thamrin were closed to traffic in the morning, giving residents space to jog, cycle and walk.
City cleaners had worked overnight to clear debris from the earlier unrest.
ByteDance’s TikTok, which has more than 100 million accounts in Indonesia, has suspended its live feature for the “next few days” following the protests.
An empty street is seen near the parliament building following protests in Jakarta on Aug 31. PHOTO: EPA
“In the light of the increasing violence in protests in Indonesia, we are taking additional security measures to keep TikTok a safe and civil space. As part of this measure, we are voluntarily suspending the TikTok LIVE feature for the next few days in Indonesia,” a spokesperson said.
Instagram posts by netizens have also emerged, urging others not to damage public property, attack one another, loot shops or small businesses, or spread hoaxes.
An Instagram post by user Liem Ing Fei said: “Do not fall into the trap of people versus authorities.”
In reference to the House of Representatives (DPR), it added: “Our real enemies are the DPR and the political elite who remain silent and hidden. Fellow citizens are brothers and sisters, not opponents. Our enemy is an oppressive policy that harms the people.”
Deadly Indonesia protests force U-turn on lawmakers’ pay
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the military and police to take stern action against rioters and looters. The unrest escalated into riots on Friday after a motorcycle rideshare driver was killed during police action at a protest site. The protests began on Monday over what demonstrators called excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians. Many ministers and political leaders arriving at the Palace used civilian number plates instead of special ones given to officials. The military was deployed to guard the Palace on top of the usual secret service detail. Many key ministers’ homes and government installations were also seen guarded by the military on Sunday. It remains unclear who is behind the rioting and looting that followed the protests, initially organised by student associations. The death toll rose to five on Sunday, according to local agency in the South Sulawesi province, with three others killed in an arson attack on a local parliament building on Friday. More demonstrations are being “considered” and further protests are “not enough,” a student umbrella group said.
Item 1 of 5 Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto looks on before he delivers his annual State of the Nation Address, ahead of the country’s Independence Day, in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Pool/File Photo
Summary Prabowo orders military and police to act against rioters
Military deployed to guard key locations
Student groups demand deeper reforms beyond perks cut
Rupiah and stock index hit by protests
Protests led to five deaths, worst violence in years
JAKARTA, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Indonesian political parties have agreed to revoke a number of perks and privileges for parliamentarians, President Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday, in a bid to calm anti-government protests that have left five people dead and caused the worst violence in decades in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Protests began on Monday over what demonstrators called excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians. The unrest escalated into riots on Friday after a motorcycle rideshare driver was killed during police action at a protest site.
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Homes of political party members and state buildings were ransacked or set ablaze, sparking widespread concern.
Investor sentiment took a hit as the protests led to a steep selloff in Indonesia’s stocks and currency on Friday.
Prabowo, speaking at a news conference at the Presidential Palace and flanked by the leaders of various political parties, said he had ordered the military and police to take stern action against rioters and looters, warning that some of the actions were indicative of “terrorism” and “treason”.
“Leaders in parliament have conveyed that they will revoke a number of parliament policies, including the size of allowances for members of parliament and a moratorium on overseas work trips,” Prabowo 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,” he added.
The protests represent the most significant challenge to Prabowo’s government, which has faced little political opposition since taking office nearly a year ago.
Prabowo, who cancelled a high profile trip to China due to the unrest, on Sunday met with political parties leaders and key members of his cabinet at the Presidential Palace to discuss the situation.
Many ministers and political leaders arriving at the Palace used civilian number plates instead of special ones given to officials, a witness said, in an apparent precaution against public anger.
The military was deployed to guard the Palace on top of the usual secret service detail. Many key ministers’ homes and government installations were also seen guarded by the military on Sunday.
‘NOT ENOUGH’
It remains unclear who is behind the rioting and looting that followed the protests, initially organised by student associations. Muzammil Ihsan, head of the All Indonesian Students’ Executives Body, the country’s largest student umbrella group, told Reuters that cutting lawmakers’ perks was “not enough” and said further demonstrations were being “considered”.
“The government must resolve deep-rooted problems. The anger on the streets is not without cause,” Ihsan said.
Tegar Afriansyah, the chairman of a smaller student group, Indonesian Student League for Democracy, which has been protesting since Monday, told Reuters the announcement does not address the root of the problem, which is “political oligarchy and an unequal economic structure.”
He termed Prabowo’s instructions to police and military as “clearly repressive and intimidating.”
Global rights watchdog Amnesty International’s Indonesia chapter in a statement termed Prabowo’s use of terms such as treason and terrorism as “excessive.”
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, said it had suspended its live feature in Indonesia for a few days.
The death toll rose to five on Sunday, according to the local disaster management agency in Makassar, South Sulawesi province. The agency confirmed that an online motorcycle taxi driver was beaten to death by a mob accusing him of being an intelligence agent. Three others were killed in an arson attack on the local parliament building on Friday.
Reporting Stefanno Sulaiman Gayatri Suroyo, Ananda Teresia, and Stanley Widianto; Addtional reporting by Abd Rahman Muchtar in Makassar, Indonesia; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by William Mallard, Michael Perry and Louise Heavens
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Indonesia’s Prabowo scraps China trip over protests, TikTok halts live feed
Antigovernment protests spreading across the country force the president to call off his travel plans, and TikTok to halt live broadcasts. Indonesian authorities said that at least three people were killed in an arson attack on a parliament building in Makassar, the capital of the South Sulawesi province, on the previous day. The protests mark the first major test for Prabowo Subianto’s nearly year-old government. They began in Jakarta on Monday over lawmakers’ pay and worsened after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle rider. The president apologises to the Chinese government that he could not attend the invitation, a presidential spokesperson said in a video statement on Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, protesters caused fires at regional parliament buildings in three provinces – West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan city in Central Java and Cirebon city in West Java – local media reported. Local media also reported that a crowd had looted the Jakarta home of Ahmad Sahroni, a lawmaker from the political party NasDem.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has cancelled a trip to China, as deadly antigovernment protests spread outside the capital, and social media platform TikTok suspended its live feature, citing concerns over the “increasing violence” in the Southeast Asian country.
The announcement by Prabowo’s spokesman came on Saturday as Indonesian authorities said that at least three people were killed in an arson attack on a parliament building in Makassar, the capital of the South Sulawesi province, on the previous day.
The protests mark the first major test for Prabowo’s nearly year-old government. They began in Jakarta on Monday over lawmakers’ pay and worsened after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle rider.
“The president wants to continue monitoring [the situation in Indonesia] directly… and seek the best solutions,” presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said in a video statement.
“Therefore, the president apologises to the Chinese government that he could not attend the invitation.”
Prabowo had been due to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China’s Tianjin as well as a “Victory Day” parade on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The protests in Indonesia were sparked by reports that all 580 lawmakers receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,075) in addition to their salaries.
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Critics argue that the new allowance is not only excessive but also insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with soaring living costs and taxes, as well as rising unemployment.
The protests grew wider and more violent following the death of 21-year-old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan in Jakarta on Thursday. A video on social media, apparently showing his death, shocked the nation and spurred an outcry against the country’s security forces.
Prabowo, who had been an army general under former leader Muhammad Soeharto, has urged calm and offered condolences for the driver’s death.
But he has also called on the military and police chiefs to act decisively to restore order.
Earlier on Saturday, protesters caused fires at regional parliament buildings in three provinces – West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan city in Central Java and Cirebon city in West Java – local media reported.
Detik.com said the protesters had looted parliamentary office equipment in Cirebon, and that police had fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Pekalongan and West Nusa Tenggara.
More protests planned
Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from Jakarta, said that “thousands of protesters remain on the streets” in the nation’s capital amid widespread anger about a “housing allowance for politicians, which is 10 times the minimum wage” in the city.
“The government is calling for calm, but the protests are expanding, with more grievances in more cities and more demonstrations planned for the coming days,” Washington said.
Local media also reported that a crowd had looted the Jakarta home of Ahmad Sahroni, a lawmaker from the political party NasDem, and taken items including household furniture.
Sahroni has faced accusations of responding insensitively to people calling for parliament to be dissolved amid anger over lawmakers’ allowances. Sahroni has labelled such critics “the stupidest people in the world”.
Protests also occurred on the holiday island of Bali, where tear gas was used against demonstrators.
Short-video app TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance, said on Saturday that it had suspended its live feature in Indonesia for a few days.
Jakarta had this week summoned representatives of social media platforms, including Meta Platforms Inc and TikTok, and told them to boost content moderation because disinformation had spread online. The government says such disinformation has spurred protests against it.
“In light of the increasing violence in protests in Indonesia, we are taking additional security measures to keep TikTok a safe and civil space,” ByteDance said in a statement.
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“As part of this measure, we are voluntarily suspending the TikTok LIVE feature for the next few days in Indonesia,” the statement added.
Indonesia has one of the world’s biggest audiences on TikTok, with more than 100 million users.
In some videos of the protests posted on the service on Saturday, users complained they could not use the live feature.
People had used the popular video app to document the protests, including police firing tear gas and water cannon at protesters.
Wirya Adiwena, the deputy director of Amnesty International Indonesia, told Al Jazeera’s Inside Story that Indonesia’s government seems more interested in ensuring it has “full control of the narratives [and] full control of the protests, instead of addressing the real concerns that people have”.
Adiwena said the government was “bringing back old playbooks”, noting it had also recently passed a law “in which the government managed to quietly, creepingly push the army back into civilian lives, where [the] army now has more control, more presence, really, in civil government”.
Protests Spread Across Indonesia After a Deadly Clash With Police
Demonstrations spread across Indonesia on Friday as thousands took to the streets of its capital, Jakarta, and other cities. A motorcycle taxi driver was killed at a protest a day earlier. By night, some of the protests had turned violent, with cars being burned and police outposts being torched in several cities.
The demonstrations, which began on Monday in Jakarta, have been driven by rising unemployment and inflation, with many calling for an end to housing allowances for lawmakers that they see as lavish. On Friday, police officers in riot gear fired tear gas at protesters in the capital and the navy marine corps deployed troops to help secure the demonstrations.
Protests also broke out in Surabaya, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Solo and other cities. By night, some of the protests had turned violent, with cars being burned and police outposts being torched in several cities, according to local news media and television broadcasts.
The demonstrations followed a series of tense altercations on Thursday between the police and protesters, some of whom had been throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and firecrackers. Police responded with force and at times drove armored vehicles into crowds. At a protest near Parliament in Jakarta, one vehicle struck and killed a taxi driver, 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan.
Indonesia protests erupt after delivery rider death in first major test for Prabowo
Protesters marched to the headquarters of the police mobile brigade in the capital Jakarta. Police used water cannons and fired rounds of tear gas to push back the demonstrators. Clashes between rock-throwing demonstrators and riot police also broke out in other cities across the country.
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Protesters marched to the headquarters of the police mobile brigade in the capital Jakarta on Friday, and some attempted to storm the compound. Police used water cannons and fired rounds of tear gas to push back the demonstrators, who hurled bottles, rocks and flares at them.
One group of rioters set fire to a five-storey building near the police compound in the Kwitang neighbourhood of central Jakarta, causing several people to be trapped inside. Some students halted their protests to help soldiers and residents rescue those trapped.
Other protesters destroyed traffic signs and other infrastructure, causing traffic to come to a standstill in the area.
Protests in Indonesia over ‘excessive’ pay to lawmakers Protests in Indonesia over ‘excessive’ pay to lawmakers
Clashes between rock-throwing demonstrators and riot police also broke out in other cities across the country, including Surabaya, Solo, Yogyakarta, Medan, Makassar, Manado, Bandung and Manokwari in the easternmost Papua region.