So far, talk us through what triggered
the protest. What are the people
demanding?
>> Yes, Averil. So, like you know, as you
pointed out, the flash point was really
the perks for the lawmakers in
parliament. And the people at this
juncture are seeing economic slowdown,
weakening consumption. And on top of
that, they are viewing the lawmakers is
rubbing salt on their wounds by
demanding for, you know, higher
allowances, for example, more housing
allowance. and and these uh you know
frustrations have actually built up over
the past few months as Indonesia see
layoffs after layoffs, factories closing
down because of you know the domestic uh
slowdown in that sense and the requests
by the lawmakers are seen as excessive
and seen as you know the political
elites being out of touch with the
ground.
>> The president has been in power for less
than a year. So what is he trying to do
in order to try to appease the public?
>> So the political parties met last
evening uh and the president delivered a
statement saying that you know they're
scrapping those perks that parliament
needs to be more in touch uh you know
with people's sentiments. Uh some are
actually saying that you know this uh
you know the statement you know the
intervention should have made earlier
you know before the fatalities happened
to calm the ground and as you pointed
out Sher like you know since President
Prabu took over it has been a tumultuous
you know rain for him. uh there were
massive protests uh earlier in February
you know the the stocks and markets
plunged in in March because of you know
concerns over his expensive uh you know
and expensive policies. Uh so right now
for the government the focus is to calm
sentiments. Companies are already
instituting work from home policies uh
you know out of precautionary um
measures that you know protest could
occur today and the ensuing days.
Faris, how much worse might it get for
the president? What is the way forward
now for him and his government?
>> Right now, the protest what is actually
sending to the lawmakers and to the
government is that you know the people
are actually you know really fed up with
the economic situation. Uh you know uh
there is no stable salaries for them.
You know it is hard to find a job. uh it
is really a wake-up call for the
political elites that the people will be
watching and scrutinizing their every
move and that you know should uh another
display of excessive lifestyle by the
politicians would trigger similar
protests. Right now the focus is really
to calm the situation. The president has
already said that you know authorities
would take firmer action should there be
more you know anarchy uh on the streets.
Uh but right now I think it is really
trying to reconfigure how to govern
Indonesia better and and be more in
touch with people's sentiments.
We have Indonesia's inflation data later
today. The numbers supposed to have
stabilized for the month of August. What
are we seeing in the broader economy and
what the central bank can also do for
the country?
>> Yes. So the the central bank has
constantly been intervening you know
whether it's because of geopolitical
headwinds or is it because of you know
uh domestic instability
you know on on a broader scope what we
have been seeing over the last few
months is really weakening consumption
and that's pointing to you know multiple
factors which is you know people not
being able to secure jobs and uh and
those people include graduates in fact
uh what you're seeing is that you know
people are not getting stable salaries
because of the loss of jobs and
therefore you know they can't really
contribute much to the economy and on
top of like you know the domestic
instability and on top of the lack of
clarity in terms of domestic policies
Indonesia has to contend with you know
the geopolitical headwinds from the
tariffs so it's kind of like a double
whmy in that sense for the country so
right now what the government is trying
to do is just digging its heels and
executing its policies but at the same
time you are also seeing flexibility to
like you know intervene in the markets
when when needed and and adjusting the
policies when needed, which the
president has done so so