The recent protests in Indonesia – an island nation in Southeast Asia – reflect more than a spontaneous outburst, representing deep-seated grievances over governance and economic inequality, analysts say.
A controversial proposal to increase the housing allowance for parliamentarians was the final straw for people of the country, home to the world’s largest Muslim population.
Indonesian lawmakers currently earn around 100 million rupiah (£4,499; $6,150) per month, which is over 30 times the average national income, according to local media reports.
And the proposed house allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,075) would have substantially increased the salary of the parliamentarians in the country.
People had been expressing deep dissatisfaction with government policies, but when a police officer in Jakarta ran over and killed a 21-year-old driver, the protests turned violent, leaving at least 10 people dead, rights groups say.
In an attempt at damage control, President Prabowo Subianto vetoed the controversial housing allowance proposal, but by then, the situation had spiralled out of control.
Authorities detained more than 1,240 demonstrators after five days of protests.
The intensity of protests comes from two overlapping dynamics, according to Sophal Ear, a Cambodian-American academic at Arizona State University.
“First, the economic strain: rising living costs, uneven job opportunities, and persistent inequality have sharpened public anger.”
“Second, the sense that political institutions are unresponsive — whether in handling corruption scandals, environmental degradation, or policy decisions seen as favouring elites,” Ear tells TRT World.
Why are protests intense?
In recent months, budget measures have had both direct and indirect impact on the Indonesian economy, as less money has been pumped into economic activities, an Indonesian academic who wishes to remain anonymous tells TRT World.
Among other areas, university campuses have also seen protests, signalling the frustration of the country’s young population with recent government policies.
“There are also waves of layoffs among young people, which coincides with difficulties in finding jobs for younger generations,” says the Indonesia academic.
