Multitudes of Indonesians attempt to breach Jakarta's parliament buildings – law enforcement officers suppress demonstrators
Crowds attempted to rush Indonesia's parliament on Thursday. Law enforcement used tear gas and water cannons against people in Jakarta who removed a barrier and hurled stones at officers. The chaos led to the parliament delaying the intended approval of contentious election law adjustments, potentially increasing the political power of outgoing President Joko Widodo, as reported by Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad.
Protesters obstructed roads near the parliament building, some waving banners and flags. Others ignited fires and burned tires. Various activists, students, laborers, and popular Indonesian artists and musicians participated in the demonstrations, airing their concerns over Indonesia's democracy. Similar protests happened in key cities, such as Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar.
Parliament met in an emergency meeting to challenge a Constitutional Court ruling on election procedures. On Tuesday, the court revoked a rule barring individuals under 30 from running for governor. This would have kept Widodo's youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, who's 29, from contesting in a Central Java regional election. Additionally, the court loosened the political parties' candidate selection process by dropping the need to secure a 20% vote share in a regional parliament.
On Wednesday, parliament made haste to approve a bill elevating the minimum age for governors to 30 at the time of taking office, aiming to pass it during a Thursday session. However, the approval failed since the required numbers were not reached.
Widodo's firstborn, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is set to become the nation's upcoming vice president after the court handled an exemption to the age limit for ex-regional officials. The decision took place when Widodo's brother-in-law Anwar Usman served as chief justice. Usman faced scrutiny for his part in a case involving a relative and was subsequently dismissed.
The Protesters outside Parliament appealing for democracy's protection, viewed the Constitutional Court's ruling as a threat to Indonesia's youth. In response to the ongoing unrest, Parliament is currently reviewing election law amendments to maintain fairness and integrity in upcoming elections.
