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Deadly riots, drowned communities, and street protests — corruption is fuelling unrest across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, anger over lavish perks for MPs left seven dead and parliament buildings in flames. In the Philippines, billions in flood-control funds vanished into the hands of politicians and favoured contractors, sparking outrage both online and in the streets. And in Malaysia, a reform bill meant to curb graft backfired after being forced through Parliament in just a week.
Indonesia: People's fury
Last week, Indonesia was already on the edge. Economic hardship, mass layoffs, and rising costs of food, education, and housing had widened the gap between political elites and ordinary citizens. The revelation that each of the 580 members of the House of Representatives (DPR) was to receive a new monthly housing allowance of Rp50 million (NZ$5,151.76 est.), almost ten times the Jakarta minimum wage, proved to be the breaking point.
The controversy, compounded by a viral video of lawmakers dancing during the recess, came to symbolise government indifference and arrogance.
Timeline of the unrest:
August 25, 2025: Demonstrations began in Jakarta and quickly spread to Medan. Student groups, labour unions, and motorcycle taxi drivers demanded higher wages, an end to outsourcing, and the scrapping of the allowance.
August 27, 2025: Protests escalated. In West Kalimantan, students stormed the local DPR building, while in Jakarta, clashes disrupted commercial districts and halted public transport.
August 28, 2025: Violence turned deadly when Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, was run over by a police tactical vehicle in Central Jakarta. The incident, captured on video, went viral and became a rallying cry against police brutality.
August 29, 2025: Riots spread nationwide. In Makassar, protesters set fire to the regional parliament building, killing at least three people trapped inside. Similar scenes unfolded in Surabaya, Bandung, and Yogyakarta.
August 30–31, 2025: The death toll mounted. A suspected police intelligence officer was beaten to death, a university student died in Yogyakarta, and an elderly man in Central Java succumbed to tear gas exposure. By the end of the month, at least six to seven people had died, with hundreds more injured.
The human and financial costs were severe. Jakarta alone reported more than 469 injuries and over 1,200 arrests. Nationally, the unrest claimed at least seven lives, including Kurniawan and the three Makassar fire victims.
Consequently, the economic fallout was immediate. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung estimated damage at Rp 55 billion (NZ$5.67 million est.), while the rupiah weakened and the stock market plunged as investors reacted to the instability.
Also, over the weekend, Indonesia’s unrest moved from the streets into the private lives of its political class. Demonstrators targeted the homes of several MPs, forcing open gates, vandalising property, and looting valuables. Luxury cars were torched, furniture and electronics were carried out, and in some cases, family members of lawmakers were forced to flee.
One widely reported incident took place at the Jakarta residence of DPR member Arteria Dahlan, where protesters smashed windows and set fire to vehicles inside his compound. The attacks were a striking symbol of how public anger over corruption had turned directly against the country’s ruling elite.
For many Indonesians, the images of ransacked houses shared online carried more weight than speeches in parliament. Protesters framed the looting as a form of symbolic justice, arguing that the opulence on display stood in stark contrast to the daily struggles of families facing rising food, housing, and education costs.
Authorities were quick to condemn the incidents. “These were not demonstrations but outright crimes,” a police spokesperson said, warning that arrests would follow and that looting undermined the legitimacy of protest.
Government allies echoed the sentiment, portraying the attacks as a dangerous escalation that blurred the line between dissent and anarchy. Yet opposition figures and activists countered that the targeting of lawmakers’ homes reflected the depth of public disillusionment.
**Continue reading on the AMC website to know more about Philippine's Uncontrol Flood of Corruption and Malaysia's Rushed Procurement Bill.
-Asia Media Centre
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