Students clash with police over parliament housing allowances

Riot police fired tear gas at thousands of students who threw stones while trying to reach Indonesia’s Parliament to protest lawmakers’ monthly housing allowances of $3,075. The allowance, which equals about 20 times the minimum wage in poor areas, has sparked outrage among demonstrators who view it as unjust amid widespread economic hardship. Authorities deployed over 1,200 security personnel and blocked roads to Parliament, causing severe traffic jams across Jakarta. House Speaker Puan Maharani defended the allowance as appropriate for current Jakarta prices, while activists point to endemic corruption in Indonesia’s government institutions.

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https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-student-protest-parliament-49e31c7074aab8375aec06143f6b2edc