TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Friday, August 29, 2025, several international media outlets reported on mass protests in Jakarta that ended tragically with the death of online motorcycle taxi (ojol) driver Affan Kurniawan. He was run over by an 11-ton police tactical vehicle on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
The reports emphasized the combined labor and student protests, which addressed multiple issues, including lavish allowances for parliament members, education funding, and problems with the government’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.
Arab News
Saudi media outlet Arab News reported that Indonesian students planned to demonstrate at the Jakarta Police Headquarters on Friday, following the death of an online motorcycle driver during clashes outside the parliament building a day earlier.
Muzammil Ihsan, head of Indonesia’s largest student union, said students intended to protest police violence on Friday afternoon, and he expected additional student groups to join.
On Thursday, demonstrators protested various issues, including MPs’ salaries, education funds, and government school meal programs. As the protests continued into the night, local media reported riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Jakarta Metro Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri confirmed that a police armored vehicle had struck and killed an online driver during the clash. A local driver association stated that the victim was not part of the protest.
Bangkok Post
Thailand’s Bangkok Post reported that Indonesia was preparing for more protests on Friday after the online driver’s death, an incident that sparked public outrage and raised questions about President Prabowo Subianto’s handling of dissent.
Police confirmed the incident after an amateur video circulated online showing an armored vehicle running over the victim while dispersing crowds in Jakarta Thursday night.
The fatal accident triggered widespread anger on social media, with fellow drivers holding late-night protests outside police barracks and warning of wider unrest if authorities failed to act.
Hundreds of students from the University of Indonesia planned demonstrations outside the National Police Headquarters on Friday, demanding the removal of the police chief and accountability for recent arrests and violence, a student spokesperson told Bloomberg News via text message.
The Straits Times
Singapore’s The Straits Times highlighted public outrage over the tragic death of 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, who was run over by a police vehicle while delivering food.
Surrounded by family and neighbors, his grieving mother, Erlina, spoke tearfully to the newspaper from their home.
“I want the person who killed my son to get the harshest sanction by the law... He had just ended a food delivery and was about to pick up his next passenger,” said Erlina, 41.
“He’s the backbone of our family, and worked very hard. He had been saving up money from his job to buy land and build a house for us back in our village in Lampung (in South Sumatra).”
The incident occurred during Jakarta’s second major demonstration in a week, sparked by public anger over MPs’ generous allowances.
According to Erlina, on the night of August 28, Affan was delivering food when he became trapped in the protest chaos in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta.
A paramilitary Brimob vehicle sped into the crowd, hitting and crushing him before speeding away. Seven officers have been detained, and investigations continue to determine the driver’s responsibility.
The Star
Malaysia’s The Star reported that thousands of protesters clashed with police during Thursday’s demonstration in Jakarta.
Rocks and firecrackers were thrown in the city’s second large protest of the week, driven by public outrage over MPs’ lavish allowances. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the mostly student crowd. By late afternoon, clashes spread to nearby shopping areas, where protesters hurled bamboo sticks and stones at officers.
“Parliament must be dissolved. Do not retreat. Our fight is not over,” shouted one demonstrator to the crowd.
The protests added uncertainty to Indonesia’s economic outlook. Despite moderate inflation averaging around 3% since the pandemic, rising rice and education costs have fueled dissatisfaction over living expenses.
Mass layoffs, particularly in the textile industry, have further frustrated Indonesians, leaving many feeling neglected by policymakers in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Public anger intensified over new housing allowances for parliament members, reportedly reaching 50 million rupiah per month, nearly 10 times Jakarta’s current minimum wage.
Earlier that day, hundreds of workers peacefully gathered at the same complex to demand wage increases and lower taxes, dispersing before lunch.
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