Putri Prameshwari, Ulma Haryanto & Zaky Pawas – Teenager or housewife, anybody can get money and a free meal for joining a rally in Jakarta, to either yell, dance, sing or all of the above.

However, if Wednesday's demonstrations outside the House of Representatives failed to be as lively as the day before, demonstrators said it was not their fault. They blamed their empty stomachs.

"We've been here since 10 in the morning. Until now, we haven't received any food," said a protester originally from Depok, south of Jakarta, demonstrating with the pro-Yudhoyono group outside the House. It was past 1 p.m. and the man, who refused to give his name, had not received his promised boxed meal. "I'm hungry," he yelled. "So where's my meal?"

He said he had come from Depok by bus and a field coordinator had handed each of them a bottle of mineral water. "The coordinator told us to relax, and that money and meals would be handed out by 12 p.m.," he said. "How can I relax on an empty stomach?"

A couple of hours later, a van filled with "logistics" arrived on the scene but all it had were more banners and a single carton of plastic water bottles.

Protesters rushed toward the carton and fought over the bottles. They then proceeded to sit on the sides of the road, slowly forgetting about the fiery orator and the few other slogan-chanting supporters.

Moments later a smaller van came with more boxes of water. "They keep giving us water. What are we? Fish?" said Sugiyono, also from Depok.

On the other side of the supposed political divide, hungry protesters were also complaining at the anti-Yudhoyono rally.

Iwan, from Johar Baru in Central Jakarta, and Nurdin, from Jatiwaringin in East Jakarta sat on road blocks with eight other teenagers, watching protesters from the student and labor unions singing songs.

"We got paid around Rp 30,000, but now we're tired and hungry. We haven't eaten anything since morning. They told us that we'd get food later," Iwan said, who pointed to the Archipelago Students Alliance crowd when asked which group he belonged to.

Fajri from the National Workers' Union said he also had not received his boxed lunch. Sitting on the pavement in the crowd that opposed the government, Fajri looked exhausted and kept sipping an iced tea.

"I'm waiting for my meal," Fajri said, adding that the union's field coordinators also promised a rice box and Rp 50,000. "The money will be given out at the end of the day," Fajri said.

By 2 p.m., Fajri and a group of five other people were getting angry and refusing to join the marching students and workers. "My coordinator is nowhere to be found!" he said. "I'm waiting here until I get my lunch."

Susi from Johar Baru said she often joined demonstrations for extra income. "Better than doing nothing at home," she said, adding that she received a warm meal early in the day and was told the money would be distributed when the rally was over.

When asked whether she was worried about being tricked, she said: "No. I've done this a couple of times and I always get paid."