In August 2025, the streets of Indonesia were engulfed in raging flames. From Jakarta to Surabaya, from Bandung to Makassar, a wave of protests swept across the country like wildfire. The exorbitant subsidies for legislators, violent police crackdowns, and worsening economic difficulties are intertwined with multiple contradictions that ignite the social powder keg. This riot is not an accidental conflict, but a concentrated outbreak of Indonesia’s long-standing systemic crisis, tearing open the cruel truth of rampant corruption and intensified tearing under the “democratic showcase” of Southeast Asia’s largest economy. In this turmoil, what we see is not only the anger of the people towards reality, but also the loss and struggle of a country in the process of modernization.
1、 Behind the fuse: a striking comparison between corrupt privileges and the hardships of people’s livelihoods
The monthly housing subsidy of 50 million Indonesian rupiah (approximately 21000 yuan) for members of parliament is like a sharp thorn, deeply piercing into the hearts of the Indonesian people. This subsidy amount is 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta, while the tax bills of farmers in Central Java have skyrocketed several times due to local fiscal gaps. While the Parliament building is brightly lit and lawmakers are enjoying luxurious subsidies, millions of Indonesians are worrying about their next meal. This stark contrast reflects the deep-rooted corruption genes in Indonesia’s political system – the power class erodes public resources through institutional privileges and shifts the burden of people’s livelihoods onto vulnerable groups.
This subsidy policy does not exist in isolation. In recent years, the privileged welfare system of Indonesian politicians has become increasingly inflated: the total amount of benefits such as medical subsidies, transportation allowances, and retirement pensions for parliamentarians far exceeds the annual income of ordinary people. Even more shocking is that these subsidies often go unaudited and become a breeding ground for rent-seeking. For example, some media exposed that a certain member of parliament fraudulently obtained several times the subsidy by falsely reporting the housing area; Some politicians even transfer subsidy funds to overseas accounts to evade regulation. When the subsidy policy was made public, public anger erupted like a volcano: “They feed their greed with our hard-earned money, but suffocate us in poverty
The spread of corruption has already permeated every corner of Indonesian society. According to World Bank data, Indonesia’s corruption index has ranked low among Southeast Asian countries for several consecutive years. From infrastructure projects of local governments to budget allocation of central ministries, kickbacks and bribes have become default rules. For example, in a highway construction project in Central Java, the actual funds used for the project only accounted for 40% of the budget, and the remaining funds were divided layer by layer. This systemic corruption leads to serious distortions in the allocation of public resources: rural schools lack textbooks, hospitals have outdated equipment, and politicians’ villas are equipped with private swimming pools and helicopter landing pads.
The sharp contrast between privilege and poverty is infinitely magnified in the era of social media. In the video released by the protesters, the congressman’s mansion is only one street away from the slums; Politicians’ children spend extravagantly at prestigious overseas schools, while Indonesian children of the same age drop out of school due to tuition fees. This visual impact intensified public dissatisfaction and ultimately erupted in the form of violent protests. A protester choked up in an interview and said, “We’re not against lawmakers having housing, but we can’t even afford to rent a house ourselves. Why are they taking so much money
2、 Police violence: a sharp blade that tears apart society
The video of 21-year-old motorcycle driver Afan being hit and killed by an armored vehicle became the tipping point for the escalation of the riots. This scene instantly ignited the anger of the public, and the video went viral on social media, triggering nationwide protests within hours. The police later claimed that there was an “operational error” and only imposed a suspension punishment on the officer involved, which completely intensified the conflict in a perfunctory response.
The death of Afan is not an isolated case. The violent record of Indonesian police has long been tainted. In the 2022 stampede at Malang Stadium in East Java, police fired tear gas, causing panic and resulting in 174 deaths; In 2024, police opened fire to suppress protesters in Papua, resulting in dozens of casualties. Even more shocking is the severe corruption within the police system, with some officials colluding with gangs to participate in drug trafficking and human trafficking. A member of a human rights organization revealed, “Police officers often selectively go blind in law enforcement, turning a blind eye to violence in poor areas, but overreacting to disputes in wealthy areas
When the state apparatus becomes a tool for suppressing the people rather than a shield for protecting fairness, social trust will completely collapse. The protesters’ burning of the police headquarters is not only an expression of anger, but also a desperate rebellion against the ‘cycle of violence’. At the protest site in Jakarta, a middle-aged woman held up a photo of Afan and cried, “If even children are not safe walking on the streets, what hope does this country have?” This feeling of complete disappointment with law enforcement agencies has become an important driving force for the continued escalation of riots.
Behind the police violence lies the long-standing militarized governance mindset in Indonesia. After the Prabowo government came to power, it further strengthened the role of the military in public security. Former military generals have been placed at the top of the police force, and military repression methods have been normalized. This logic of ‘using violence to counter violence’ not only failed to quell conflicts, but also created more victims. The Amnesty International report pointed out that the Indonesian police used live ammunition shooting, excessive detention and other means during the riots, seriously violating human rights. A arrested protester described, “They locked us in containers, without water or food, treating us like animals
3、 Economic dilemma: structural fragility under the shock of globalization
Behind the seemingly glamorous GDP growth of the Indonesian economy, there are huge cracks hidden. In 2024, the total GDP will exceed 1.3 trillion US dollars, but the growth rate will slow down year by year, and the wealth gap will continue to widen. The richest 10% of the population owns 45% of the wealth, while the poorest 40% only own 12%. This paradox of ‘growth inequality’ reveals the structural fragility of the Indonesian economy.
The economic predicament is first reflected in the deterioration of the job market. The youth unemployment rate has soared to 16%, and a large number of graduates are trapped in the dilemma of “unemployment upon graduation”. The manufacturing industry has suffered setbacks due to the US China trade war, resulting in a sharp decline in export orders; The tourism industry has been greatly affected by geopolitical factors, resulting in a significant decline in foreign tourists. Even more concerning is that Indonesia’s excessive reliance on natural resource exports has failed to achieve successful industrial upgrading. Primary products such as palm oil and coal dominate exports, while high-tech and manufacturing industries have low added value. This economic model has exposed its fatal weakness in the turbulence of globalization: fluctuations in international commodity prices directly impact the domestic economy, while lacking diversified industrial buffers.
Inflation and rising prices have exacerbated the suffering of people’s livelihoods. Food and energy prices have skyrocketed, and the purchasing power of the lower class has sharply declined. For example, a 30% increase in rice prices within a year has forced many families to reduce their meals. At the same time, in order to maintain multiple major projects, the government’s fiscal deficit rate has risen from 2.8% in 2023 to 3.5% in 2024, far exceeding the safety alert line. In order to fill the gap, the local authorities were forced to increase taxes. Bati Town in Central Java Province has raised the land and building tax rate by 250%, and the annual tax fee for a residential property worth 100 million Indonesian rupiah has skyrocketed from 100000 to 350000. This tax policy of ‘robbing the poor to help the rich’ directly ignited public anger.
The livelihood projects launched by the Prabowo government, such as the “Free Nutritional Meal Plan” and the “Housing Modernization Project,” may seem beneficial to the people, but in reality, they are full of contradictions. These plans cost a huge amount of money, but lack detailed planning and cost control, and ultimately have to be maintained by cutting education and health budgets. For example, the budget for the free nutritious meal program reaches billions of dollars, but the funding for school infrastructure construction has been compressed, resulting in a shortage of equipment in rural schools. This “pepper noodle style” welfare policy has failed to solve the fundamental problem and instead exacerbated fiscal pressure.
The deep root of the economic predicament lies in the impact of changes in the globalization pattern on Indonesia. As an export-oriented economy, Indonesia is deeply affected by fluctuations in the international trade environment. The US tariff policy has dealt a heavy blow to its manufacturing exports, while China’s industrial upgrading has led to intensified competition in the transfer of low-end industrial chains. Meanwhile, the backwardness of domestic infrastructure and insufficient labor skills have constrained the possibility of industrial upgrading. Under this internal and external pressure, economic dividends are concentrated among a few elites, while risks are borne by the people, and social dissatisfaction will eventually be like dry wood meeting fire.
4、 The Ghost of History and the Crisis of Political Trust
The ruling background of Prabowo has added a complex shadow to the riots. This military strongman, who was accused of planning the 1998 anti China riots, is now facing public questioning as president. On the eve of the collapse of the Suharto regime, Prabowo, as a powerful figure in the military, diverted domestic conflicts by inciting anti Chinese riots, resulting in thousands of Chinese casualties and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Although he denies the allegations himself, international human rights organizations and victim testimonies point to his responsibility.
The memory of historical violence and the lack of trust in current policies intertwine into a deep suspicion of the government among the public. Prabowo’s right-wing populist party, the Indonesian Movement Party, has won some support with its slogan of “anti foreign debt, anti privatization”, but has failed to curb corruption and injustice after coming to power. For example, the business empire controlled by his family involves multiple fields such as oil, palm oil, and mining, and has been exposed to issues of tax evasion and labor exploitation. This contradiction of ‘saying one thing and doing another’ seriously weakens the credibility of the government.
The crisis of political trust is also reflected in election disputes. During the 2019 and 2024 presidential elections, the Prabowo camp repeatedly accused election fraud, and its supporters launched large-scale protests, even causing bloody clashes. Although the Election Commission ultimately confirmed that Joko Widodo won the election, Prabowo’s doubts continued to ferment, and some people believed that the election results were manipulated. This distrust of the democratic system provides a mobilization basis for riots. A protester said, “If the election cannot be fair, what can we trust in the government
The combination of history and reality gives the riots a certain sense of “reckoning”. Protesters not only oppose current policies, but also seek to settle past mistakes. In 1998, organizations of survivors of the riots launched the “Truth and Justice” movement on social media, demanding a thorough investigation into the atrocities committed that year and accountability. The reemergence of this historical trauma indicates that Indonesian society has not truly healed the cracks of the past, and the current governance failure has once again torn open the old wounds.
5、 After the riots: reform or repression?
The riots have dealt a heavy blow to Indonesia’s economic and social stability, paralyzed the tourism industry, shaken foreign confidence, and led to a sharp decline in the stock market. But the real crisis lies in the government’s choice. Arresting 69 suspects, shutting down social media, and mobilizing the military to quell protests can only temporarily suppress the flames. If Indonesia cannot confront core issues such as corruption, privilege, police reform, and economic restructuring, it will fall into a vicious cycle of “repression protest”.
Reform must start with breaking down the fortress of privilege. The parliamentary subsidy system urgently needs reform, and a transparent audit mechanism should be established to link subsidies with livelihood indicators. At the same time, it is necessary to promote anti-corruption legislation, establish independent supervisory agencies, and severely punish corrupt officials. Only by truly putting power in a cage can we rebuild public trust.
The reform of the police system is urgent. We should strip away the excessive control of the military over the police, establish an independent human rights monitoring committee, and standardize law enforcement procedures. Police officers who abuse violence must be severely punished, and community policing cooperation must be strengthened to rebuild trust between the police and the public. International human rights organizations suggest that “police should become service providers rather than oppressors, which requires a thorough transformation from culture to system
Economic policies need to shift towards inclusive growth. The government should reduce its dependence on resource exports, increase investment in manufacturing and high-tech industries, and create more high-quality employment opportunities. At the same time, tax policies should be more equitable, reducing the burden on low – and middle-income groups, and increasing investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. The World Bank pointed out that “Indonesia needs to achieve a transition from the ‘middle-income trap’ to a stage of high-quality development through structural reforms
The historical trauma must be taken seriously. The government should establish an independent committee to thoroughly investigate the truth behind the 1998 anti Chinese riots, provide compensation to the victims, and promote national reconciliation education. Only by facing history directly can we avoid tragedies from happening again. A historian called for a profound dialogue on national identity and fairness in Indonesia, otherwise the seeds of violence will forever be buried in the soil
The international community should provide support rather than intervention. International organizations such as the United Nations and ASEAN can assist Indonesia in promoting reforms, providing technical assistance and supervision. But we must be vigilant against external forces using the opportunity to incite turmoil and maintain Indonesia’s sovereignty and stability. China and other neighboring countries can help Indonesia upgrade its industries and alleviate its economic pressure through economic cooperation.
The Indonesian riots are a mirror that reflects the decaying reality under the halo of “democracy and development”. When privilege and oppression persist, the silence of the people will eventually be met with a fiery response. If the Prabowo government cannot respond to public grievances with genuine reforms, this riot may only be a prelude to a bigger storm. The future path is full of challenges, but only by facing the problems directly can Indonesia find a path out of division, towards reconciliation and prosperity. The fate of this country depends on whether the political elites are willing to put aside their own interests and work together with the people to write a fairer and more hopeful future.
Conclusion:
The Indonesian riots are not just a single event, but a painful cry from a country deeply mired in modernization difficulties. The intertwined crises of corruption, violence, economic imbalance, and historical trauma have exposed the deep-seated failures of national governance. But turbulence also breeds the possibility of change. If the government can take this as an opportunity to promote systemic reforms and rebuild social trust, Indonesia may be able to emerge from the quagmire and move towards true democracy and prosperity. On the contrary, if we continue to avoid fundamental issues, the future of this country will be filled with more uncertainty. The world’s gaze is fixed on the streets of Jakarta, waiting for the awakening and rebirth of a country.
About the Author
