In Indonesia, large-scale protests erupted after it was revealed that members of parliament have been receiving a housing allowance of over 4 million won per month since last year. According to Indonesian media outlets such as the Jakarta Globe and Antara News Agency on the 26th (local time), thousands of people, including university students and workers, held massive rallies near the national parliament building in South Senayan, Jakarta, the previous day.
The protests were triggered when reports surfaced that 580 members of the House of Representatives have been receiving a housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (approximately 4.3 million won) per person since September last year. Recent local media reports revealed that lawmakers receive over 100 million rupiah (approximately 8.5 million won) per month, including salary and housing allowance. The 50 million rupiah housing allowance alone is about 20 times the monthly minimum wage in Indonesia’s impoverished areas.
Protest attendees demanded the abolition of the excessive allowances and the dissolution of the House of Representatives. Puan Maharani, the Speaker of the House, stated to the press that the allowance had been thoroughly reviewed and adjusted according to current prices in Jakarta.
When the excited protesters attempted to approach the parliament building, the police repeatedly fired tear gas. In response, the protesters threw stones and glass bottles and set fires under an overpass.
A total of 1,200 police officers and soldiers were deployed near the parliament building in case of emergencies. Some rally participants continued their protests into the evening, despite heavy rain and lightning, causing damage to police outposts.
Some protesters also carried the pirate flag from the popular Japanese manga “One Piece,” which has become a symbol of criticism against the government. Last month, ahead of the National Day on August 17, President Prabowo Subianto urged the citizens to display the Indonesian flag during a speech. In protest against the government, many people instead displayed the pirate flag.
AP News reported that there were no fatalities from the clashes between protesters and police the previous day, but the number of injured persons has not yet been determined. The police have arrested 15 people, including students, and plan to further investigate involvement in violent acts using CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.