Protests lead to Indonesia's president making compromises, causing him to cancel a planned trip to a summit with China following days of violence.
Protests have erupted across Indonesia, marking a significant challenge to President Prabowo Subianto's government. The unrest began over excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians, with student associations leading the charge.
In a bid to address the public's concerns, leaders in parliament have announced plans to revoke a number of policies. These include reducing allowances for members of parliament and imposing a moratorium on overseas work trips. However, some protestors, including Muzammil Ihsan, head of the All Indonesian Students' Executives Body, believe that these measures do not go far enough and further demonstrations are being considered.
Tegar Afriansyah, chairman of Indonesian Student League for Democracy, echoes this sentiment, stating that the root of the problem lies in political oligarchy and an unequal economic structure. Amnesty International's Indonesia chapter has also criticised President Prabowo's use of terms such as treason and terrorism, deeming them excessive.
The protests have not been without violence. Riots escalated on Friday, resulting in at least eight deaths. These include the killing of a motorcycle rideshare driver during police action at a protest site, and three others in an arson attack on the local parliament building. Homes of political party members and state buildings have also been ransacked or set ablaze.
In response, President Prabowo has ordered the military and police to take stern action against rioters and looters. The military has been deployed to guard the palace, in addition to the usual secret service detail. Many key ministers' homes and government installations were being guarded by the military on Sunday.
In an unusual move, many ministers and political leaders arrived at the palace using civilian number plates instead of official ones, as a security measure during the unrest. The search results do not provide the name of the student organization that organized the largest protests against the government of Prabowo Subianto.
Looters, including those who broke into a house owned by Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, have added to the chaos. More protests are planned for Monday, with the future of Indonesia's political landscape uncertain.
As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear who is behind the rioting and looting that followed the initial protests. The Indonesian government and law enforcement agencies are working to restore order and maintain peace in the country.
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