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dpatopbilder - Participants in a demonstration in front of the Indonesian House of Representatives protest against the lavish allowances for members of parliament. Photo: Donal Husni/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Keystone
In Indonesia, mass protests against the government continue to escalate. Tens of thousands of people have been on the streets in the capital Jakarta and other parts of the country for days to demonstrate against the introduction of high allowances for members of parliament - while at the same time tax measures and inflation are making life difficult for many citizens.
Most recently, there were serious clashes with the police, who then arrested hundreds of demonstrators, as reported by Indonesian media. The police also used tear gas and water cannons against the crowd. Students in particular are taking part in the protests.
What allowances are at stake?
The anger is mainly directed against an additional monthly housing allowance of 50 million Indonesian rupiah (around 2,600 euros) for members of parliament - a sum that exceeds the monthly salary of many Indonesians many times over, as critics complain.
The announcement came at a time when many people in the Southeast Asian island state are suffering from rising living costs and mass redundancies. The anger was further fueled by videos of politicians flaunting their luxurious lifestyles on social media.
Police car kills motorcycle cab driver
The protests escalated on Thursday evening (local time) after the driver of a motorcycle cab in Jakarta was run over and killed by an armored police vehicle - sparking nationwide outrage. The 21-year-old was run over near the parliament building as the vehicle made its way through the crowd.
The police apologized for the incident. "We can't change what happened. But we take responsibility for it," said a police spokesman. He added that the driver of the armored vehicle was under investigation.
29.08.2025, 08:39
