Indonesia accepts protesters’ demand to cut lawmakers perks amid unrest

Speaking at the Presidential Palace alongside political party leaders, Prabowo said parliament would reduce members’ allowances and suspend overseas trips.

By: Express Web Desk

August 31, 2025 08:09 PM IST

2 min read

A protester throws rock at the police during a protest against lavish allowances given to parliament members, outside the parliament in Jakarta, Indonesia. (AP Photo)

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday that political parties have agreed to roll back several benefits for parliamentarians, following days of protests that left five people dead.

The demonstrations began on Monday over what protesters described as excessive pay and housing allowances for lawmakers. Tensions rose on Thursday after a motorcycle rideshare driver was killed during police action, leading to rioting, looting, and arson targeting homes of political figures and government buildings.

Speaking at the Presidential Palace alongside political party leaders, Prabowo said parliament would reduce members’ allowances and suspend overseas trips.

“Leaders in parliament have conveyed that they will revoke a number of parliament policies, including the size of allowances for members of parliament and a moratorium on overseas work trips,” he told reporters, according to Reuters.

Also read | Indonesia protests over lawmakers’ pay lead to deaths, arson and TikTok suspension

Prabowo also said he had directed security forces to act against those involved in the violence. “To the police and the military, I have ordered them to take action as firm as possible against the destruction of public facilities, looting at homes of individuals and economic centres, according to the laws,” he said, Reuters reported.

The protests mark the most serious challenge to Prabowo’s administration since he took office in October last year.

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