JAKARTA, Sept 2 — In the heart of Indonesia, the streets are restless. The recent protests — some of the deadliest the nation has seen in decades — weren’t just about lavish perks for lawmakers or another headline about government missteps. They were a cry. A cry from delivery drivers, laid-off workers, and middle-class families pushed to the brink.
At least six lives were lost. Twenty people are still missing. And millions more are silently suffering. What began as outrage over a young delivery driver being run over by police quickly escalated into something much deeper. People are tired — not just physically, but emotionally and economically.
Despite Indonesia’s glowing economic reports, many ordinary citizens feel nothing close to growth. President Prabowo Subianto may speak proudly of rising exports and manufacturing booms, but the average Indonesian sees little relief. Wages are stagnant. Layoffs are soaring — up by 30 percent this year alone. Families are struggling to put rice on the table.
Economist Nailul Huda put it bluntly: “If economic growth is real, it must reach the lower-class society.”
What sparked the protests last week wasn’t just the US$3,000 housing allowances for lawmakers — nearly ten times the minimum wage in Jakarta — it was the insult of inequality rubbed in the faces of those already pushed to the edge. Prabowo’s government tried to quell the outrage with a promise to roll back some of the perks and suspend overseas trips. But for many, these gestures felt too little, too late.
Across the nation — from Jakarta to regional cities — public buildings were torched, rocks were thrown, and frustration spilled over. It wasn’t just about a single policy; it was about years of broken promises.
Back in February, the public protested budget cuts that shifted money into populist but questionable programs. Funds meant for education, infrastructure, or job creation were diverted into headline-grabbing meal schemes and a sovereign wealth fund that few understand or trust.
More than 42,000 people lost their jobs in the first half of 2025 — a 32% rise. At the same time, rice prices jumped over 6% despite government claims of supply increases. “It might be true that our economy is expanding,” said economist Jahen Fachrul Rezki, “but who’s benefiting? Probably just capital owners.”
Jakarta — a city of more than 11 million — has seen poverty numbers rise to nearly half a million. That’s not just a statistic. That’s parents skipping meals so their children can eat. That’s families losing homes. That’s students giving up school to find work.
Prabowo promised job opportunities, better education, and an end to layoffs. The people remember. And now, they’re asking where those promises went.
His controversial decision to increase VAT to 12% — though now walked back to apply only to luxury goods — struck many as another sign of a government disconnected from its people’s reality.
The death of Affan Kurniawan, the young delivery driver who became the face of these protests, hit home for many. He wasn’t just a victim of police negligence. He was a symbol — of hard-working Indonesians barely hanging on while those in power seem to live in another world.
Political analyst Ray Rangkuti summed it up best: “The protests may die down, but this isn’t over. Because the issues aren’t being solved — they’re being buried.”
Until the root causes — inequality, corruption, and a lack of accountability — are addressed, this unrest isn’t going away. It’s only a matter of time.
