By Kennedy Nalyanya
MAKASSAR, INDONESIA - Widespread anti-government protests sweeping across Indonesia have turned deadly in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, where a mob set fire to a regional parliament building, killing at least three people and injuring five others. The incident marks a severe escalation in a wave of public anger sparked by a controversial housing allowance for lawmakers and fuelled by the death of a young motorcycle delivery driver.
The blaze, which engulfed the provincial council building, left three people trapped inside and claimed their lives. Others, desperate to escape the inferno, sustained broken bones from jumping out of the burning structure, according to local disaster officials. Television reports showed the building ablaze, turning the night sky an ominous orange.
This tragedy in Makassar is a grim manifestation of the growing frustration across the country. The initial protests began in Jakarta, sparked by a newly introduced monthly housing allowance of approximately $3,000 for lawmakers—an amount nearly ten times the minimum wage in the capital. The public viewed the allowance as a tone-deaf and excessive perk at a time when many Indonesians are struggling with rising living costs, high unemployment, and mass layoffs.
The situation spiralled into violent riots after the death of 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, an online motorcycle taxi driver. He was tragically run over by a police armored vehicle during a protest in Jakarta. A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shocked the nation and ignited a nationwide outcry against police brutality. Kurniawan was reportedly not involved in the protests and was completing a food delivery order when he was caught in the clashes.
In the wake of Kurniawan's death, protests intensified and spread to other major cities, including West Java's Bandung and Surabaya. In these locations, protesters reportedly set fire to other regional parliament buildings and clashed violently with police.
In an attempt to quell the unrest, President Prabowo Subianto has publicly condemned the excessive force used by police and has ordered a thorough investigation into Kurniawan’s death. He has also made a rare concession by announcing the government will revoke the controversial housing allowance for lawmakers and suspend their overseas work trips. Despite these measures, security remains tight across the country, with police setting up checkpoints in Jakarta and other cities as authorities brace for further demonstrations.
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