Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said he will stand firm as protests over lawmakers’ perks escalate into the most serious unrest since he took office 10 months ago, leaving at least six people dead and dozens injured.
Prabowo, who visited victims in a Jakarta hospital on Monday, condemned the unrest as the work of “rioters, not protesters,” accusing them of seeking to “sabotage national development efforts.”
‘Attack on democracy’
He denounced the burning of parliament buildings in several cities as “an attack on democracy,” and directed police to award extraordinary promotions to injured officers, many of whom sustained severe wounds.
The protests, which began last week over lawmakers’ allowances and foreign trips, intensified after 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan was killed when hit by a police armoured vehicle.
Rights group KontraS said at least 20 people remain missing after the clashes, most in Jakarta and surrounding cities. The UN has called for an investigation into alleged excessive police force.
At least 43 people have been hospitalised, including police officers and civilians, while anger against security forces has fueled more demonstrations.
Prabowo expressed regret over the deaths, pledged accountability for officers found guilty of misconduct, and cancelled a planned trip to China.
On Sunday, he announced a rollback of lawmakers’ perks, including cuts to allowances and a moratorium on overseas visits, in a bid to calm public fury.
