Camille Naredo

Demonstrators take part in a protest following the death of a motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police Mobile Brigade Corps or 'Brimob' armoured vehicle on August 28, in front of the Regional Police headquarters in Surabaya on August 30, 2025. Juni Kriswanto, AFP

Demonstrators take part in a protest following the death of a motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police Mobile Brigade Corps or 'Brimob' armoured vehicle on August 28, in front of the Regional Police headquarters in Surabaya on August 30, 2025. Indonesia was rocked by protests in major cities including the capital Jakarta on August 29 after footage spread of a motorcycle taxi driver being run over by a police tactical vehicle in earlier rallies against low wages and financial perks for lawmakers. (Photo by JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP)

Article (news)

INDONESIA

Agence France-Presse

<p>JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Violent clashes have erupted across Indonesia, boiling into the biggest test of Prabowo Subianto&#x27;s 10-month presidency, with at least four people killed in separate incidents.</p><p>Southeast Asia&#x27;s biggest economy has been simmering with discontent in recent weeks over economic issues such as financial perks for lawmakers, but a motorcycle gig driver&#x27;s death sparked widespread protests on Friday.</p><p>Here are five things to know about the unrest in Indonesia:</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Deep-rooted anger -</strong><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756551389022AFP__20250830__72VX3LQ__v1__MidRes__IndonesiaProtestPolitics.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Demonstrators take part in a protest following the death of a motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police Mobile Brigade Corps or &#x27;Brimob&#x27; armoured vehicle on August 28, in front of the Regional Police headquarters in Surabaya on August 30, 2025. Juni Kriswanto, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Demonstrators take part in a protest following the death of a motorcycle taxi driver who was run over by a police Mobile Brigade Corps or &#x27;Brimob&#x27; armoured vehicle on August 28, in front of the Regional Police headquarters in Surabaya on August 30, 2025. <em>Juni Kriswanto, AFP</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>Deep-rooted discontent emerged on the streets of Jakarta when several hundred protesters rallied outside parliament on Monday, angry about lavish benefits for lawmakers that include a housing allowance nearly 10 times the minimum wage in the capital.</p><p>Fresh demonstrations were held again on Thursday, with hundreds protesting into the night against low wages. Police moved to disperse that crowd using tear gas and water cannon.</p><p>During that protest, a black tactical van from the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob) paramilitary unit ran over and killed 21-year-old driver Affan Kurniawan.</p><p>The footage went viral and stoked further anger over police tactics.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/29/jakarta-protests-over-lawmakers-perks-turn-violent-1-dead-1526">READ: Jakarta protests over lawmakers’ perks turn violent; 1 dead</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Protests spread -</strong></div><p>Protests escalated after Affan&#x27;s death, with rallies starting in cities across the country.</p><p>Thousands, many of them &quot;ojek&quot; motorcycle drivers like Affan, protested in front of the Brimob headquarters and the police office in Jakarta.</p><p>Protesters hurled firecrackers, Molotov cocktails and rocks, while others started fires.</p><p>Protests also began in cities such as Yogyakarta, Bandung, Solo and Semarang in Java, and in Medan in Sumatra.</p><p>At least three people were killed and four injured in Makassar, the biggest city on the eastern island of Sulawesi, after protesters set fire to a council building.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/30/indonesia-protest-blaze-kills-3-as-anger-erupts-over-driver-death-1119">READ: Indonesia protest blaze kills 3 as anger erupts over driver death</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Tip of the iceberg -</strong></div><p>Thousands of Indonesians protested in February against Prabowo&#x27;s widespread budget cuts.</p><p>He said he had slashed budgets to fund populist policies, including a billion-dollar free meal program for schoolchildren and pregnant mothers.</p><p>However, experts say Indonesians have become disenchanted with their economic situation.</p><p>&quot;There are also problems with unfair taxes, people&#x27;s declining purchasing power and the lack of job opportunities,&quot; Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, executive director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies, told AFP.</p><p>More than 42,000 people were laid off between January and June, a 32 percent rise on last year, the Ministry of Manpower said.</p><p>Ride-hailing workers like Kurniawan have also faced bigger pay deductions and longer working hours.</p><p>Bhima said that discontent boiled over because of the lack of empathy shown by lawmakers.</p><p>&quot;The problems piled up like dried hay, and the parliament lit the fire,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;This is just the tip of the iceberg.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Prabowo test -</strong></div><div><strong><u><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABfzs3K0kKHtP4Wt"></script></u></strong></div><p>The protests are Probowo&#x27;s biggest test since he took office in October, and experts say the ex-general must act to quell public fury.</p><p>&quot;If I were the president, I&#x27;d remove the National Police chief from his post,&quot; Made Supriatma, visiting fellow at Singapore&#x27;s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told AFP.</p><p>&quot;The people need a symbolic gesture from him.&quot;</p><p>Prabowo and the National Police chief have promised to investigate Affan&#x27;s death.</p><p>Police have also detained seven Brimob officers, saying they had violated the ethics code.</p><p>Made said Prabowo should re-evaluate key programmes such as the free meal scheme and the new multibillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund Danantara.</p><p>&quot;He needs to change the course, and he should re-evaluate his cabinet as well,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- More protests -</strong></div><p>More protests are expected as public anger simmers.</p><p>Hundreds of students rallied outside the East Java police headquarters in Surabaya on Saturday, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.</p><p>Some ojek drivers said on social media they would return to the streets soon to protest against lawmakers.</p><p>There were also calls online for more protests outside parliament next week to demand its dissolution.</p><p>&quot;I believe these protests are very likely to continue for the next few days,&quot; said Made.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Violent clashes have erupted across Indonesia, boiling into the biggest test of Prabowo Subianto's 10-month presidency, with at least four people killed in separate incidents.</p>

Violent clashes have erupted across Indonesia, boiling into the biggest test of Prabowo Subianto's 10-month presidency, with at least four people killed in separate incidents.

Five things to know about Indonesia's deadly protests

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Five things to know about Indonesia's deadly protests

Agence France-Presse

Published Aug 30, 2025 07:32 PM PHT

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