Indonesia police apologise over death of ride-sharing driver hit by armoured vehicle

JAKARTA: Jakarta’s police chief Asep Edi Suheri apologised to the family of Affan Kurniawan, a motorcycle ride-sharing driver who was killed after being struck by an armoured police vehicle during clashes near parliament on Thursday.

National police official Abdul Karim, in a Reuters report, said seven officers inside the vehicle would be detained for 20 days for a breach of ethics, while Kurniawan’s funeral was attended by hundreds of fellow drivers who formed a two-wheeled convoy through the capital in his honour.

The apology came as hundreds of Indonesians protested across Jakarta on Friday, demanding police reform in what has become the first major test for President Prabowo Subianto’s nearly year-old government. Demonstrations also broke out in other cities including Bandung, Surabaya and Gorontalo.

Thursday’s clashes had erupted during protests over lawmakers’ pay and education funding. On Friday, protesters again descended on parliament and police headquarters, hurling rocks and chanting “Killer! Killer!” Police responded with tear gas, while military units were deployed in some areas, local media reported.

In Bandung, protesters set fire to a house belonging to the People’s Consultative Assembly legislative wing, while a police post was torched in Makassar, according to state and local reports.

President Prabowo expressed condolences for Kurniawan’s death, describing the incident as “excessive” and ordering a thorough and transparent investigation, adding that officers involved must be held accountable.

“If Prabowo isn’t careful … protests may devolve into chaos,” said Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Legal Aid called for the release of more than 600 people detained during the demonstrations.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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