Indonesian President Prabowo Cancels China Trip as Protests Intensify Across Country
Jakarta, Indonesia – President Prabowo Subianto has canceled his scheduled visit to China after days of anti-government protests escalated nationwide, with several regional parliament buildings torched by demonstrators.
Prabowo had been invited to attend China’s Victory Day parade on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. However, the president opted to remain in Indonesia to monitor the growing unrest.
“The president wants to oversee the situation directly and ensure the best solutions are found,” presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said in a televised statement on Saturday. “He expresses regret to the Chinese government for not being able to attend the invitation.”
Hadi added that the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September also influenced the decision to cancel the foreign trip.
Meanwhile, the short-video platform TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia for several days. Authorities had warned that misinformation spreading on social media was fueling unrest, prompting the government to summon representatives from TikTok, Meta Platforms, and other companies to tighten content moderation.
Parliament Buildings Set on Fire
The protests, which first erupted in Jakarta earlier this week over lawmakers’ salaries, turned more violent after a police vehicle struck and killed a motorcyclist. Anger quickly spread beyond the capital, with demonstrations reported across several provinces.
On Saturday, protesters set fire to parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan (Central Java), and Cirebon (West Java), according to local reports. In Cirebon, crowds also looted parliamentary office equipment. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters in multiple regions.
In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, an arson attack on a parliamentary office killed at least three people, Indonesia’s disaster management agency confirmed. Victims were trapped inside the burning building, while others sustained injuries after jumping out of windows to escape the flames. Local media reported an additional death, though this has not been independently verified.
Similar clashes took place in Bali, where police deployed tear gas against demonstrators.
Lawmaker’s Home Targeted
The unrest has also targeted politicians directly. Protesters in Jakarta looted the home of Ahmad Sahroni, a parliament member from the NasDem Party, taking household items and furniture.
Sahroni, already under fire for defending lawmakers’ benefits, had previously dismissed critics as “the stupidest people in the world,” sparking further outrage.
Growing Pressure on Prabowo
The escalating protests are shaping up to be the biggest domestic challenge for Prabowo since taking office nearly a year ago. The president’s decision to remain in Indonesia rather than attend high-profile international events highlights the seriousness of the crisis.
With parliament buildings burned, public anger mounting, and security forces stretched across multiple provinces, the government now faces the urgent task of restoring stability while addressing the demands of disillusioned citizens.