After a week of anti-government and anti-parliament protests, Sunday, August 31, saw the restoration of normalcy to Jakarta and several other Indonesian cities.
Public outrage at a new monthly allowance for parliament members catalyzed the rallies, which started on August 25. In some locations, including Bandung, Surabaya, and Bali, protests turned into altercations with the military and police.
When a police tactical vehicle killed an online motorbike taxi driver on August 28, it sparked widespread ire and more violent clashes in Jakarta, turning the protest into a tragic event.
In addition to parliamentary buildings and police stations in other towns, public infrastructure like bus shelters and toll road gates in Jakarta were also damaged. There were no recorded impacts on tourism-related facilities. To make sure airports continued to function, security was stepped up.
President Prabowo Subianto responded by declaring that the amount of some government-funded benefits for parliamentarians would be reduced. There will also be a ban on parliamentarians traveling abroad.
Prabowo, however, ordered the police and armed forces to take firm action against looting and property damage, warning that certain protests had beyond peaceful demonstration and could be seen as “tour and terrorism.”
Other areas of the capital functioned properly, despite the high level of tension in the city center of Jakarta. Over the weekend, the Astindo Travel Fair and the Nusantara International Convention and Exhibition (NICE) had their soft openings.
“Although the floor was a little quiet in the evenings, the fair operated on schedule with high visitor interest, particularly during cash-back sessions,” stated Pauline Suharno, president of Astindo.
“The inaugural event, the Ionation-Workout and Wellness Festival, was a great success,” stated Ryan Adrian, managing director of NICE. Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the event went smoothly. According to the event organizer, they were pleased to get 7,300 attendees out of the 9,000 they had hoped for.
Travel and tourism industry representatives remain optimistic. Ricky Setyawanto, director of business development for Panorama Destination, said they had received no emergency requests from guests to leave the country early. and some more news check on https://www.ttgasia.com/
“We have 47 Java-Bali overland trips scheduled for September and we hope the situation will remain stable,” he added.
Police data indicate that more rallies are planned, but increased security is expected to helpkeep future demonstrations peaceful. this news source from https://www.ttgasia.com/2025/09/01/protests-ease-in-jakarta-as-travel-and-tourism-resume/