Jakarta: Indonesia has reignited public controversy after nearly doubling the “recess allowance” for its lawmakers, a month after cancelling certain benefits in response to nationwide protests. The increase, effective from October 3, raises the allowance from 400 million rupiah ($24,100) to 700 million rupiah ($42,200) per parliamentary break. With 580 parliamentarians taking around five breaks annually, the policy has sparked renewed debate over government spending priorities.
The allowance, intended to fund legislators’ constituency visits and activities during parliamentary recesses, was defended by Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. He stated that the previous allowance, based on 2019–2024, did not account for rising costs in transportation and staple goods. Dasco emphasized that the increase was a bureaucratic decision by the House Secretariat, approved by the Finance Ministry in May, rather than a proposal by parliament itself. He also noted that a digital reporting mechanism would soon be implemented to ensure transparency.
The backdrop to this controversy was August 2025, when widespread protests erupted across 32 of Indonesia’s 38 provinces over lawmakers’ pay and perks. Demonstrations, involving students, rights groups, and other civilians, escalated into riots after a motorcycle taxi driver was killed during a police operation, resulting in 10 deaths and over 5,000 arrests. In the aftermath, some parliamentary benefits, including housing allowances, were reduced to quell public outrage.
Despite these measures, watchdog groups such as Formappi condemned the new allowance, describing it as a betrayal of public trust. Lucius Karus of Formappi remarked that while the abolition of housing allowances had initially pleased citizens, the emergence of a new “fantastic” allowance had rekindled frustration. Critics argue that such decisions highlight persistent inequalities in a nation where tens of millions still live in poverty despite Indonesia’s status as Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a G20 member.
The allowance hike underscores ongoing tensions in Indonesia between political accountability, fiscal responsibility, and public expectations, placing the government under renewed scrutiny as it navigates both domestic pressures and economic challenges.