Jakarta protests over lawmakers' pay and housing allowances

Thousands of students and activists demonstrated outside Indonesia’s parliament on Monday, clashing with riot police who fired tear gas and used water cannons as they attempted to breach the heavily guarded compound. The protests, organized in part by groups including Gejayan Memanggil, focused on what organizers called exorbitant pay and lavish housing allowances for lawmakers, arguing that such benefits are out of step with the economic realities faced by ordinary citizens.

In scenes that unfolded around the Parliament complex in central Jakarta, protesters, some wearing dark clothing, hurled rocks and set off fireworks at riot police. At least one motorcycle was set ablaze, and authorities did not immediately provide details on damage, injuries, or arrests. Security forces deployed about 1,250 officers to secure the area and block access routes, including several toll roads, causing significant traffic disruption in the capital.

The demonstration drew renewed attention to lawmakers’ compensation. Reports cited a housing allowance of 50 million rupiah per month for a substantial portion of the House of Representatives, with calculations indicating that the total...