Dissatisfaction was triggered by revelations of generous housing grants to politicians – nearly ten times higher than the minimum wage in Jakarta – and escalated after a driver of a motorcycle taxi was killed by a police vehicle during a demonstration.
President Prabowo Subianto urged for peaceful protests but also warned against "actions that border on treason and terrorism". The Minister of Defence emphasized that the military and police will intervene against looting and attacks on public buildings.
In recent days, the home of the Finance Minister has been looted, a town hall set on fire and a police station in Surabaya attacked. The protests have spread from the capital to several larger cities on Java and Sumatra.
Human rights groups believe that the government's measures are not sufficient and demand more comprehensive reforms in response to the people's dissatisfaction.
