Jakarta protests: President Prabowo cancels foreign visit; fires, deaths reported across Indonesia

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called off a planned visit to China after days of unrest spread beyond Jakarta, with parliament buildings in several regions torched and lives lost in violent clashes. Prabowo had been scheduled to attend a “Victory Day” parade in China on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. But with demonstrations intensifying at home, the president chose to remain in Indonesia. “The president wants to continue monitoring (the situation in Indonesia) directly…and seek the best solutions,” presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said in a video message on Saturday. “Therefore, the president apologizes to the Chinese government that he could not attend the invitation.” He added that preparations for the United Nations General Assembly in September were also a factor in the decision, according to CNN. The protests, the most serious challenge to Prabowo’s government since he took office nearly a year ago, began in Jakarta this week over lawmakers’ pay. Tensions escalated after a police vehicle fatally struck a motorcyclist. Fires and fatalities Anger has spilled over into the provinces. Local media reported that parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan in Central Java and Cirebon in West Java were set on fire on Saturday. In Cirebon, demonstrators looted parliamentary equipment, while police deployed teargas to disperse crowds in Pekalongan and West Nusa Tenggara, CNN reported. In Makassar, South Sulawesi’s capital, three people died when a parliament building was torched, Indonesia’s disaster management agency confirmed. State news agency Antara said the victims were trapped inside, while two others were injured after jumping from the building to escape the blaze. Local outlet metrotvnews.com reported one more death linked to the fire, though this could not be independently verified. Protests also erupted on Bali, where police used tear gas against crowds.Online platforms under pressure The unrest has been amplified online, prompting the government to summon major social media companies including Meta and TikTok, demanding tighter content moderation. Authorities accuse disinformation of fuelling anger on the streets. On Saturday, TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, announced it had suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia for several days.Lawmaker targeted Meanwhile, demonstrators in Jakarta looted the home of NasDem party lawmaker Ahmad Sahroni, carrying away household furniture and other belongings. Sahroni has faced heavy criticism for comments made in response to calls for parliament to be dissolved. He has dismissed those critics as “the stupidest people in the world.”