Police run over man during protest in Jakarta on 28 Aug
A tragic incident unfolded in central Jakarta, Indonesia on Thursday (28 Aug) night when a man was killed after being run over by a police vehicle.
Footage captured the mobile brigade tactical vehicle crashing into a person who appeared to be trying to get up from the ground.
Instead of backing up, the vehicle continued to run over him.
Source: @rafliandrian04 on TikTok
The scene turned chaotic as a mob rushed to chase the vehicle, while others tended to the injured victim and carried him away on a motorcycle.
The victim was later identified as 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, who was a ride-hailing driver for Gojek and Grab.
His death comes amidst rising discontent with the government over the new generous housing allowance for Indonesian lawmakers.
Indonesia president calls for investigation into incident
According to Antara News, Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo later visited the hospital where he had been admitted to personally apologise to Affan’s family.
Chief Inspector General Abdul Karim, head of the Profession and Security Division, confirmed that action was taken against seven officers who were in the tactical vehicle.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has also requested an investigation into the incident, saying he was “shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions” of the police force.
Affan’s funeral was held the day after the tragedy.
On 29 Aug, hundreds of ride-hailing riders took to the streets of Jakarta on their motorcycles as part of his funeral procession.
They escorted the hearse that made its way through the capital city to the cemetery.
According to Affan’s bereaved mother, her son had just ended a food delivery and was on the way to pick up his next passenger when he got caught in the protest.
Civilians frustrated over lavish allowance for lawmakers
Thousands of civilians in Indonesia have expressed frustration over the 50 million rupiah (S$3,921) monthly housing allowance for Indonesian lawmakers — an amount nearly 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta.
Source: Jakarta Globe
As Indonesia’s economy continues to decline, the cost of living has surged, with many workers, especially in the textile industry, being laid off.
Public resentment was significantly fuelled by recent reports that 580 members of the House of Representatives had been receiving the hefty housing allowance per month since September 2024.
Demonstrators have called for an end to the allowance, viewing it as a lavish benefit for lawmakers while ordinary citizens struggle with financial hardships.
People are also outraged with President Prabowo Subianto, who has received flak for attempting to silence critics, spending millions of jets and submarines while neglecting hospitals, schools, and public transport.
A protest organised by labour unions on Thursday demanded higher minimum wages, tax reductions, stronger anti-corruption efforts, an end to layoffs, and the abolishment of outsourcing.
Protesting against ‘corrupt elites’ and policies that benefit military
The Gejayan Memanggil, a student group, has expressed their discontent with what they described as “corrupt elites” in the government, alongside policies that benefit conglomerates and the military.
Source: Jakarta Globe
Earlier this year, Indonesia passed a new law allowing the military to take on more civilian jobs, and in August, the government announced plans to create 100 new military battalions, training soldiers in farming to help with the country’s food security.
The government also said that the military would begin manufacturing medicines.
Public anger was further fuelled by property tax hikes following President Prabowo Subianto’s budget proposal, which shifted more responsibilities to local governments while cutting funding.
These tax increases sparked protests in several regions, including Pati, Central Java, where thousands of workers clashed with police.
Similar backlashes were seen in Bone, South Sulawesi, and Cirebon, West Java, resulting in tax hikes being reversed or postponed.
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Featured image adapted from @rafliandrian04 on TikTok.
