JAKARTA: 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.
Southeast Asia’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’s death sparked widespread protests on Friday.
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.
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.
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.
The footage went viral and stoked further anger over police tactics.
Protests escalated after Affan’s death, with rallies starting in cities across the country.
Thousands, many of them “ojek” motorcycle drivers like Affan, protested in front of the Brimob headquarters and the police office in Jakarta.
Protesters hurled firecrackers, Molotov cocktails and rocks, while others started fires.
Protests also began in cities such as Yogyakarta, Bandung, Solo and Semarang in Java, and in Medan in Sumatra.
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.
Thousands of Indonesians protested in February against Prabowo’s widespread budget cuts.
He said he had slashed budgets to fund populist policies, including a billion-dollar free meal programme for schoolchildren and pregnant mothers.
However, experts say Indonesians have become disenchanted with their economic situation.
“There are also problems with unfair taxes, people’s declining purchasing power and the lack of job opportunities,“ Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, executive director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies, told AFP.
More than 42,000 people were laid off between January and June, a 32% rise on last year, the Ministry of Manpower said.
Ride-hailing workers like Kurniawan have also faced bigger pay deductions and longer working hours.
Bhima said that discontent boiled over because of the lack of empathy shown by lawmakers.
“The problems piled up like dried hay, and the parliament lit the fire,“ he said.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg.”
The protests are Prabowo’s biggest test since he took office in October, and experts say the ex-general must act to quell public fury.
“If I were the president, I’d remove the National Police chief from his post,“ Made Supriatma, visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told AFP.
“The people need a symbolic gesture from him.”
Prabowo and the National Police chief have promised to investigate Affan’s death.
Police have also detained seven Brimob officers, saying they had violated the ethics code.
Made said Prabowo should re-evaluate key programmes such as the free meal scheme and the new multibillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund Danantara.
“He needs to change the course, and he should re-evaluate his cabinet as well,“ he said.
More protests are expected as public anger simmers.
Hundreds of students rallied outside the East Java police headquarters in Surabaya on Saturday, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Some ojek drivers said on social media they would return to the streets soon to protest against lawmakers.
There were also calls online for more protests outside parliament next week to demand its dissolution.
“I believe these protests are very likely to continue for the next few days,“ said Made. – AFP
