Jakarta (Reuters) – Indonesian political parties agreed to cut off parliamentarians, said President Prabowo on Sunday, in an attempt to humiliate ancient protests that caused the death of at least five people in the worst wave of violence in the country in decades.
The protests took place on Monday against high housing highs and housing subsidies. The demonstrations became riots on Friday after a motorcyclist was killed during a police action at a protest site.
Homes of members of political parties and state buildings were looted or burned down, shaking investors’ confidence in Southeast Asian economy and causing a strong drop in shares of companies in the country and exchange markets on Friday.
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Ukayers broke into a house -owned house, Sri Mishani Indrawati, on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, at night, the state news agency Antara said on Sunday. She was not at home at the moment and was unclear if she used a property often.
More protests are planned for Monday, and student groups were not canceled after Pabowo’s announcement.
The Indonesian president, speaking of a press conference at the presidential palace and led by the leaders of various political parties, said he had ordered the military and police to take severe measures against disorders and looters. He said some of the disorders showed signs of terrorism and betrayal.
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“Parliament leaders have reported that they will revoke various policies of Parliament, including the size of subsidies for politicians and a moratorium on work trips abroad,” said Prabowo.
“To the police and the Armed Forces, I ordered them to take as firm measures as possible against the destruction of public facilities, withdrawals in houses of individuals and economic centers, according to laws,” he added.
Desafio A Prabowo
Protests represent the most significant challenge so far to the Prabowo government, which has faced little political opposition since it replaced the cargo almost a year ago.
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Prabowo, who canceled a trip to China due to the disorders, also met on Sunday with the main members of his cabinet to discuss the situation.
According to a witness, the vehicles of many ministers and political leaders who arrived at the presidential palace carried civil identification signs instead of special signs granted to the authorities, in an apparent security measure, as the disorders intensified in some places.
The military was highlighted to protect the palace. Many residences of important ministers and government facilities are also being watched by the military on Sunday.
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It is still unclear who is behind the riots and withdrawals that followed the protests, which were initially organized by student associations.
Muzammil Ihsan, chief of the executive body of all Indonesian students, the country’s largest group of students, told Reuters that cutting parliamentarians’ perks “is not enough” and said other demonstrations are being “considered.”
“The government needs to solve profoundly rooted problems. Anger on the streets is not for no reason,” said Ihsan.
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Tegar Afriansyah, president of a minor student group from the Indonesian student league for democracy, which has been protesting since Monday, said the presidential announcement has not addressed the root of the problem, which is the “political oligarchy and an unequal economic structure.”
He classified Prabowo’s instructions to the police and the military as “clearly repressive and intimidating.”
In a statement, the Indonesian section of Amnesty International, a human rights surveillance body, classified as “excessive” the use of terms such as treason and terrorism by Prabowo.
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The number of dead increased to five on Sunday, according to the local disaster management agency in Makassar, in Sulwesi do Sul province. The agency said a motorcyclist was beaten to death by a crowd who accused him of being an intelligence agent.
Three other people were killed in an incendiary attack on the local parliament building on Friday.
