Calls for justice: Students holding candles at the Bandung Institute of Technology as they pay tribute to victims killed during a clash between police and demonstrators demanding police reform and the dissolution of parliament. — AFP
The recent uprisings in Indonesia shocked the country. The blaze of outrage is spreading across the republic.
Demonstrators are running the streets. Nothing is safe from the seething anger of the public.
Even the police are seeking refuge in the safety of their depots.
Homes of a minister and at least four members of Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) were broken into, ransacked and vandalised.
A friendly advice for our members of Parliament:
• Mind your words.
• Don’t show off your wealth.
Ahmad Sahroni is a self-made man, born out of poverty. He made his fortune in business and became a member of Parliament for the 3rd district of Jakarta. He is a rising star in his party, NasDem. He was the deputy chair of the powerful Komisi III (Commission III) of DPR. But his mouth cost him dearly. In fact, it was one of the triggers for the riots.
While on a working visit to a Polda (regional police) office in North Sumatera on Sept 22, he was asked about demands from some quarters to dissolve the DPR. The reason? Members of DPR are paid exorbitant allowances while ordinary Indonesians are struggling to survive.
It all started in a dialogue session with Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) when Zulfikar Arse Sadikin from Golkar party shockingly said “it is hard to earn halal money” as a Parliamentarian.
It is later revealed that a Parliamentarian is given a raise for housing allowance to 50 million rupiah a month (RM12,856). Each member brings home, inclusive of basic pay and allowances, 38 times more than an ordinary Indonesian worker every month.
That resulted in an uproar.
Ahmad’s response to those who suggested DPR should be dissolved for their kinerja (performance) is not up to the mark, while the pay and perks are excessive? They are “orang tertolol di dunia” (the most stupid people on Earth).
The backlash was immediate and massive.
To add fuel to the fire, a few other members too made irresponsible remarks about why they need the housing allowance.
Prior to that, there was a case where DPR members were accused of showing little concern for the plight of ordinary people.
During the closing of the DPR session on Aug 17, some members were seen dancing to the music by a live gamelan troupe in the DPR.
Then there was a former starlet showing herself holidaying in Europe, despite the turmoil at home. And there are also members of another commission now on “study tour” in Australia despite President Prabowo Subianto’s call for thrift spending.
Soon enough, workers, students and member of civil societies were on the roads demonstrating.
No one had heard of Affan Kurniawan, an ojol (ojek driver) who lived in a 12m by 3m rented shack in Menteng, Central Jakarta, in the shadow of one of the most prestigious and affluent enclaves of the city. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was ramped by a speeding Baraccuda vehicle belonging to the Kwitang-based Mobile Brigade Corps, or better known by its Indonesian acronym, Brimob. All in full view of the demonstrators. Amidst chaotic condition the night of Aug 28 near the Parliament building in Senayan, he died instantly.
Affan is the martyr of the people’s uprising of 2025. Indonesia has not seen such violence since the People’s Power movement in 1998 that toppled the New Order regime at the time.
The demonstrations spread to major cities in Indonesia. They burnt government and police properties. Affan’s funeral saw thousands of fellow ojek riders accompanying the hearse to Karet Bivak Cemetery.
The mobs later descended upon the homes of Ahmad and former entertainment celebrities who are now part of DPR, Eko Patrio, Nafa Urbach and Uya Kuya. And to the horror of many Indonesians, they even broke into the home of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. And shockingly, not a single policeman was there to protect Sri Mulyani. For the record, the mobs of 1998 have never targeted the homes of political leaders.
On Sunday, Prabowo appeared on TV with the leaders of all major political parties to appeal to the people to calm down. He promised the people that his government will start listening. He has instructed all branches of government, political parties and DPR to engage with the people. He annulled the unpopular house allowances for DPR members. And he promised a clampdown on the anarchists who are destroying properties of the people and government.
It is yet to be seen how the people are reacting to his appeal.
Many blamed him for ignoring the tell-tale signs of discontent among the people. He is seen as an extension of former president Jokowi who many accused of destroying democracy and building his political dynasty. Prabowo’s indebtedness to Jokowi must be stopped, they argued. He must be his own man.
Let’s learn from the perceived lack of empathy on the part of the legislators and government that led to the burning of Jakarta and other cities.
The writer is a veteran journalist. He writes extensively on Indonesian culture, literature and politics.
The views expressed here are his own.
