Indonesian police clash with students protesting lawmakers’ salaries

Demonstrators are outraged by reports that lawmakers person been receiving a monthly lodging allowance of much than $3,000.

Riot constabulary successful Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, person fired teardrop state and utilized a h2o cannon to disperse thousands of students protesting against lavish allowances fixed to members of parliament.

The clashes connected Monday came aft protesters, clad successful acheronian clothing, threw rocks and acceptable disconnected fireworks astatine riot police, arsenic they attempted to interruption into Indonesia’s parliament building.

At slightest 1 motorcycle was acceptable ablaze by protesters, but officials did not supply details of damage, immoderate casualties oregon arrests.

The protesters were outraged by caller reports that 580 members of the House of Representatives had been receiving a lodging allowance of 50 cardinal rupiah ($3,075) per period since September 2024.

They presumption the allowances arsenic unjust owed to the economical hardship faced by astir citizens.

The lodging payment unsocial amounts to astir 20 times the monthly minimum wage successful mediocre areas of the country.

Riot constabulary clashing with demonstrators during a protestation extracurricular Indonesian parliament buildings successful Jakarta, Indonesia, August 25, 2025 [Willy Kurniawan/ Reuters]

Gejayan Memanggil, 1 of the groups organising the protest, said that demonstrators were calling for a wage chopped for parliamentarians and protesting against “corrupt elites” successful the government, arsenic good arsenic policies that payment conglomerates and the military.

Some were seen connected tv carrying a emblem from the Japanese manga bid One Piece, which has go a awesome of protestation against authorities policies successful the country.

Jakarta constabulary spokesperson Ade Ary Syam Indradi told reporters 1,250 constabulary unit were deployed to support information astir the building.

There was nary contiguous remark from House Speaker Puan Maharani oregon her deputy.

On Saturday, Maharani told reporters that the wage magnitude had been thoroughly considered and adjusted to existent prices successful Jakarta.

Corruption is endemic successful Indonesia. Activists accidental constabulary and members of parliament are perceived arsenic being wide corrupt successful the state of much than 280 cardinal people.