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‘I am shocked’: Prabowo hits out at Indonesia’s police over protest handling
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has criticised the police for their handling of unrest in the capital, as thousands continued to protest on Friday evening despite heavy rain and with the military showing up at some sites.
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The protests – initially over increased allowances for lawmakers at a time of economic uncertainty for many Indonesians – were fuelled by anger over the death of a motorcycle taxi driver struck by an armoured vehicle during clashes on Thursday evening. They’ve mostly been concentrated in Jakarta although there have been rallies across the country.
Prabowo urged calm and singled out the police as he sought to defuse the demonstrations, which represent the biggest test of his presidency and have unnerved investors. The rupiah and Indonesian stocks fell on Friday.
The president’s term has been marked by periods of unrest since he took office in October, as Prabowo struggles to deliver on his sweeping promises to improve the lives of the Indonesian people. In February, students and civil society groups protested his state budget revamp that threatened contract workers’ jobs, rolled back scholarships and even dimmed the lights at government offices.
In his first remarks since the protests erupted earlier in the week, Prabowo criticised the police over the death of the taxi driver and promised to hold officers accountable. Thousands had rallied on Thursday to oppose the increased allowances for lawmakers and demand a rise in the minimum wage.
“I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers,” Prabowo said in a televised address. He also called on Indonesians to remain calm and be vigilant against “elements that always want to cause unrest and chaos”.
I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers
Prabowo is due to travel to China to join other leaders at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. That gathering starts on Sunday.
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