Driver Killed in Jakarta as Protests Over Workers’ Rights Turn Chaotic
Key Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — A mass labor protest in Jakarta on Thursday, Aug 28, 2025, turned deadly when a ride-hailing driver was struck and killed by a police tactical vehicle during clashes near the parliamentary complex in Senayan.
The victim died after being run over by a Brimob armored personnel carrier in the Pejompongan area of Central Jakarta.
Amateur video circulating online showed the victim, wearing a Gojek jacket, stumbling onto the road as the vehicle sped forward to disperse the crowd. He was unable to avoid impact and was crushed by both front and rear wheels of the vehicle. Witnesses alleged the driver had intentionally driven toward him.
The incident sparked outrage among fellow drivers, with dozens gathering outside the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Kwitang on Thursday night to demand accountability. Messages of grief and calls for solidarity spread quickly across online ride-hailing communities.
A ride-hailing driver moments before being struck by a Brimob tactical vehicle during crowd dispersal in Pejompongan, Jakarta, on Thursday, Aug 28, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from X
Labor Demands and Political Pressure
Thursday’s protest was organized by the Labor Party and a coalition of 74 trade unions, drawing an estimated 5,000 workers from Greater Jakarta and Karawang. Demonstrators converged at the gates of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of Representatives (DPR) on Jalan Gatot Subroto, voicing six key demands.
The central demand was the immediate passage of the Asset Seizure Bill, intended to strengthen the state’s ability to recover assets from corruption cases. Labor Party President Said Iqbal told protesters that corruption at the Ministry of Manpower had inflated costs for worker safety certification, outsourcing permits, and foreign labor licenses, directly eroding worker welfare.
“To prevent more cases like the one involving the former deputy manpower minister, we need asset seizure legislation to ensure stolen funds return to the state,” Iqbal said. He added that “corruption makes all workers poorer, because it raises the cost of employment.”
Other union demands included rejecting low wages and widespread outsourcing, halting mass layoffs, reforming tax policy, passing a new Manpower Law without the controversial omnibus framework, and ensuring clean elections. Similar rallies were reported in Bandung, Makassar, Aceh, Surabaya, Semarang, Medan, Lampung, Riau, Kepulauan Riau, and Morowali.
Security Response
With thousands of workers and students mobilizing in central Jakarta, state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) boosted security on the LRT Jabodebek network to safeguard commuters.
Executive Vice President for LRT Jabodebek, Purnomosidi, said the company deployed 70–80% of its security staff, supported by police and military personnel. “We strengthened security especially at Dukuh Atas, Kuningan, Pancoran, and Cawang stations, which usually see higher traffic after protests,” he said.
Despite the measures, clashes around Pejompongan and Senayan caused significant disruption. Access to the DPR/MPR toll gate was temporarily closed, and traffic gridlock stretched across major arteries.
Market Reaction
Indonesia’s currency showed resilience despite the unrest. The rupiah closed nearly flat at Rp 16,356 per US dollar on the central bank’s Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (JISDOR). Bloomberg data even recorded a slight gain, with the currency trading at Rp 16,352 in late afternoon, up 16 points from Wednesday’s close.
Currency analyst Ibrahim Assuaibi said markets viewed the largely peaceful nature of the protests around parliament as a stabilizing factor, though the violent incident in Pejompongan underscored lingering risks.
“Rupiah still closed stronger by 15 points, even though it briefly weakened to Rp 16,368 earlier in the session,” Ibrahim noted. He warned that external factors, including global energy turmoil and U.S. monetary policy, would continue to drive volatility.
The protests coincided with heightened global uncertainty after India halted Russian oil imports under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russia escalated drone strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Markets also awaited confirmation from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on possible U.S. interest rate cuts.
Protests Sparked by Lavish Lawmaker Benefits
Thursday’s rally reflected mounting worker frustration with rising living costs, corporate layoffs, and perceptions of entrenched corruption. For labor leaders, the Asset Seizure Bill has become a rallying symbol of economic justice, linking systemic graft to wage stagnation and job insecurity.
The rally was the latest in a week of nationwide protests over lavish lawmaker benefits. On Aug 25, riot police clashed with demonstrators outside Parliament opposing the monthly housing allowance of about Rp 50 million ($3,075) for 580 DPR members, seen as excessive amid average incomes of Rp 3 million.
The next day, thousands of students, workers, and activists demanded the perks be abolished, calling them symbols of corruption and elite privilege. In Yogyakarta, the Gejayan Memanggil movement also staged rallies targeting lawmakers’ pay and benefits, which critics said exceeded Rp 100 million per month.
But the death of Moh Umar Amarudin shifted the day’s narrative, underscoring tensions between protesters and security forces. With anger spreading online, authorities face renewed scrutiny over crowd-control tactics and accountability for excessive force.
As Indonesia navigates economic headwinds and political contestation ahead of 2029 elections, the ability of unions, civil society, and government to balance stability with reform will remain a defining challenge.
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