Disclaimer: What you’re about to read is entirely my personal opinion based on facts I’ve found and my own reflections. If you want to check the facts, please do your own research. If you disagree with my opinions, that’s fine too, just don’t judge. Everyone has the right to think and speak freely, and this is mine.
Whenever there is a protest against government policy in Indonesia, I’ve never been the type to join the crowd on the streets. Spending all day shouting slogans isn’t my style. But that doesn’t mean I don’t support causes that matter. If a movement truly addresses something that could damage our nation, I stand behind it.
The recent protests that shook Jakarta and other cities were not small. They were intense, loud, and, at times, violent. But what exactly fueled this public outrage? Based on my research, there are three main triggers:
1. The outrageous proposal to raise parliamentary housing allowances to IDR 50 million per month.
2. The tragic death of Affan Kurniawan, a young man who was killed in the middle of the street.
3. The never-ending stream of corruption scandals that keeps surfacing in our government.
On these grounds, do I support the demonstrations? Absolutely. Especially when they are led by students who act with morality, and influencers who use their platforms responsibly to educate the public.
But here’s where I draw the line: I strongly disagree with protests that abandon rational thinking.
Protest Is Not a Free Pass to Steal
Let’s be honest. We’ve all seen the videos of mobs raiding officials’ homes and “taking” whatever they could. No, let’s not sugarcoat it, it wasn’t “taking,” it was stealing. Some even broke into innocent citizens’ homes, people with no ties to the government, and stole their belongings. People who shout that the government is corrupt but then seize the opportunity to steal are no different from the corrupt elites they despise. Morality doesn’t bend just because you’re angry.
The excuse that “it’s taxpayer money, so we’re taking back what’s ours” is weak and hypocritical. Theft is theft. If corruption is rotten, then so is opportunism.
The Police Are Not Your Enemy
Another thing: why are protesters fighting with the police? Is every single police officer corrupt? Of course not. Their role on the ground is to maintain order, not to shut down your constitutional right to protest.
Yes, there are videos of citizens being beaten. But there are also countless clips of students deliberately provoking officers, pushing, mocking, even grabbing their gear for the sake of content. If you wear your almamater proudly, act like someone educated. A true intellectual doesn’t need to degrade others to make a point.
Destruction Hurts the People You Claim to Represent
Destroying bus shelters, vandalizing public property, and shutting down transport systems like TransJakarta doesn’t hurt the elites. It hurts the everyday workers who rely on those services to survive.
Our Politics Reflect Our Choices
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: democracy gives us the leaders we deserve. I won’t hide my choice, I supported Anies Baswedan, partly because his track record in Jakarta proved that ideas and competence matter. But he lost and it's okay because that’s how democracy works. What still stings is not the loss, but the reason behind so many votes cast for the winners. Your voices should never have been that cheap.
Politics isn’t a talent show. Leadership needs substance, not hype. And don’t forget that those hypnotists and comedians that you hate? they only got power because some of us handed it to them.
What Should Protests Look Like?
Protests are powerful when they are both loud and smart. Shout outside the gates, demand to be heard, but when the door finally opens, switch from lungs to brains.
History gives us a clear example: in 1998, students stormed the parliament chanting “Down with Soeharto!” But when some of them were invited inside, they sat, spoke, and argued for constitutional change with clarity and discipline. That’s how pressure turned into reform.
Compare that to burning chairs and smashing windows today. Which do you think leaves a stronger legacy?
My Final Thought
It’s easy to dismiss me: “You’re just typing on a screen, why don’t you join the protests?”
But here’s my answer: marching is not the only way to care. I fight with reason, with words, and with faith and prayer, for a better Indonesia.
And if someone says: “Oh, so you support a corrupt government?” no, I don’t. I love my country. Real patriotism is caring enough to speak up and think carefully, not just follow the crowd without knowing anything or defend whoever is in power, that's stupidity.
Because in the end, I believe true change doesn’t come from chaos. It comes from courage, intellect, and integrity. If we truly want to fight, let’s fight with conscience, with dignity, and with ideas so powerful that no riot could ever match their strength. That is how a nation is transformed.
If all you can do is call me names or make assumptions, then congratulations, you’ve just proved my point. But I believe that if you’ve read this far, listened with an open mind, and reflected on these words, it shows you care, and that means you’re part of the change we need.
Get well soon, Indonesia.