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INDONESIA President Prabowo Subianto has ordered Indonesia’s security forces to act decisively against those responsible for widespread destruction during mass protests that have engulfed the country.
While affirming the government’s commitment to the right to peaceful expression, Prabowo said any form of violence, provocation or looting would not be tolerated.
"I have ordered the firmest possible action against all forms of damage to public facilities, looting of private homes, public venues and economic centres, in accordance with prevailing laws," he said during a press conference at the Presidential Palace on Sunday.
He added that while the state upholds freedom of expression, as guaranteed under Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Indonesia’s Law No. 9 of 1998, it must be practised peacefully.
Demonstrations that began last week over what protestors described as excessive pay and housing allowances for members of parliament escalated into large-scale riots on Friday.
At least five people have died, including a motorcycle rideshare driver who was reportedly beaten to death by a mob accusing him of being a government agent.
Reuters reported that in scenes described as Indonesia’s worst civil unrest in decades, protesters ransacked and set fire to government buildings and the homes of political figures. Among those targeted were the residences of MP Ahmad Sahroni in North Jakarta, PAN politician Eko Patrio in South Jakarta, and fellow lawmaker Surya Utama, also known as Uya Kuya.
The private residence of Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in the capital was also reportedly looted in the early hours of Sunday, although she was not at home at the time.
To calm public anger, Prabowo announced that political leaders had agreed to withdraw several controversial parliamentary benefits.
"Leaders in parliament have conveyed that they will revoke a number of policies, including the size of allowances for members of parliament and a moratorium on overseas work trips," he said.
However, student groups behind the protests have rejected the move as insufficient, with further demonstrations planned for Monday. Muzammil Ihsan, head of the All Indonesian Students’ Executives Body, said, "The government must resolve deep-rooted problems. The anger on the streets is not without cause."
Tegar Afriansyah, chair of the Indonesian Student League for Democracy, warned that Prabowo’s rhetoric could worsen tensions. "His instructions are clearly repressive and intimidating," he said, adding that the protests were not simply about perks but about "political oligarchy and an unequal economic structure".
Amnesty International’s Indonesia chapter criticised the government’s use of terms like "terrorism" and "treason" to describe the unrest, calling it "excessive".
In anticipation of further violence, military personnel have been deployed to guard the Presidential Palace and key government installations. Several ministers arrived at Sunday’s emergency cabinet meeting using civilian vehicles, in what observers believe was a precautionary security measure.
TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, has suspended its live feature in Indonesia for several days amid the ongoing instability.
Authorities in South Sulawesi confirmed three more deaths from an arson attack on a local parliament building on Friday, bringing the official death toll to five.
The unrest presents the most serious challenge yet to Prabowo’s administration, which has faced little opposition since he took office nearly a year ago. The president has cancelled a scheduled visit to China in light of the crisis. - Sept 1, 2025