International Support Rises for Indonesian Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Amid Protests
Jakarta, Indonesia – As protests continue across indonesia following a fatal incident involving a police vehicle and a motorcycle taxi driver, an outpouring of support has emerged from international citizens who are directly assisting drivers struggling during the unrest. Since August 25, 2025, demonstrations initially sparked by a significant housing allowance for members of the House of Representatives (DPR) – Rp50 million monthly – have escalated and spread from jakarta to cities including Makassar, Bandung, and Surabaya.
Amidst the chaos, including riots and the burning of public facilities like transjakarta bus shelters and the Makassar DPRD building (resulting in four deaths), social media has become a platform for solidarity. Numerous foreign nationals are ordering food through ride-hailing apps and instructing drivers to distribute the meals to their colleagues on the road.
One example surfaced on a widely viewed post,reaching 22 million users by November 2025,where a user identified as X @mesko shared a screenshot of an order from a Bandung restaurant. The user contacted the ojol (online motorcycle taxi) driver and requested, in Malay, “Sir, you don’t need to deliver it to me. Please take the order, share it wiht your friends.”
The gesture has inspired similar actions from Indonesian citizens. User X @emred also posted a screenshot of a conversation with an ojol driver, writing, ”Good evening, sir. The food doesn’t need to be delivered. Please share it with your family or friends. Stay healthy and safe on the road. Wishing you all the best.”
The protests were further inflamed by the death of an ojol driver on August 28, 2025, who was struck by a Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) vehicle while dispersing protestors. The incident is detailed in a Tempo report: ojol Driver Fatally Struck by Brimob Vehicle After Falling to Retrieve Phone.
