Eka Yudha Saputra – The President of the Labor Party and the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI), Said Iqbal, has affirmed that his party and the coalition of labor unions will not participate in the August 25th mass protest at the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Senayan, Jakarta.
"The Labor Party and KSPI declare that they will not participate in the mass protest today, on August 25th, 2025," Iqbal said to Tempo via a voice message on Monday.
However, the Labor Party, KSPI, along with the coalition of labor unions, will hold a rally on August 28th, 2025, or Thursday this week. He stated that thousands of workers from the Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta) area will demonstrate in front of the DPR building.
"The August 28th, 2025 demonstration will also be held simultaneously in 38 provinces," Said Iqbal said.
For workers outside the Jabodetabek area, the demonstration will be held at the respective governor's offices throughout Indonesia.
The call for a demonstration at the DPR today, Monday, August 25th, 2025, emerged on social media. From Tempo's observation on social media, several accounts uploaded videos with narration of today's demonstration plan. However, the videos displayed are not the actual conditions for today. One of the accounts, @inibukanni**, uploaded five videos on Sunday, August 24th, 2025.
In one of the videos, the account reminded the people who will participate in the demonstration to be cautious and bring water. The account used a video showing a mass of people in graduation gowns standing in front of the gate of the DPR, Senayan, Central Jakarta. However, it is not certain when the demonstration took place.
In another video, the account also showed a scenario that seemed to be the current situation in front of the entrance to the DPR. "The current situation in front of the DPR building, all set for the Monday demonstration with concrete barriers in front," the account wrote. The video, whose date it was taken is uncertain, has been viewed 2.7 million times with thousands of comments.
The call for the demonstration arose when netizens expressed their concern about the large incomes of DPR members. The legislative body has come under scrutiny due to the substantial amount of their position allowances. These politicians receive Rp 50 million per month for housing allowances. When combined with their basic salaries and other allowances, the income of DPR members is estimated to exceed Rp 100 million per month.
However, it is unclear who initiated the August 25th demonstration. Narratives circulating on social media are under the name of "Indonesian People's Revolution." They invited various elements of society, workers, farmers, and students to take to the streets.
In their narrative, they demand an investigation into alleged corruption cases involving the family of former President Joko Widodo and the impeachment of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. "Let's push the DPR to carry out its function and duties as a government control," the message reads as received by Tempo on Sunday, August 24th, 2025.
The General Chairperson of the All-Indonesia Trade Union Confederation (KSPSI), Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, stated that it was unclear who was responsible for the August 25th demonstration in front of the DPR building.
"Because it's unclear who is responsible and what issues are being demanded, I prohibit all members or the extended KSPSI family throughout Indonesia, especially in the Jabodetabek area (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi), from participating in the August 25th demonstration," said Jumhur on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025 as quoted by Antara.
Jumhur also conveyed that without a responsible party, the August 25th mass protest is at risk of becoming anarchic.
– Dian Rahma Fika, Andi Adam Faturahman, and Ervana Trikarinaputri contributed to this writing.