Antigovernment protests have spread beyond Jakarta to multiple regions, including an arson attack on a parliament building in Makassar that killed at least three people. Demonstrations began over lawmakers' pay and escalated after a police vehicle struck and killed a motorcyclist. President Prabowo Subianto cancelled a planned trip to China to monitor the unrest and apologised to the Chinese government for his absence. Social media platform TikTok temporarily suspended its live feature, citing concerns over increasing violence. Protesters object to a reported monthly 50 million rupiah housing allowance for all 580 lawmakers amid soaring living costs, taxes, and unemployment.
Antigovernment protests spreading across the country force the president to call off his travel plans, and TikTok to halt live broadcasts. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has cancelled a trip to China, as deadly antigovernment protests spread outside the capital, and social media platform TikTok suspended its live feature, citing concerns over the increasing violence in the Southeast Asian country.
The protests mark the first major test for Prabowo's nearly year-old government. They began in Jakarta on Monday over lawmakers' pay and worsened after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle rider. The president wants to continue monitoring [the situation in Indonesia] directly and seek the best solutions, presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said in a video statement. Therefore, the president apologises to the Chinese government that he could not attend the invitation.
The protests in Indonesia were sparked by reports that all 580 lawmakers receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,075) in addition to their salaries. Critics argue that the new allowance is not only excessive but also insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with soaring living costs and taxes, as well as rising unemployment.
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