International Support Rises for โคIndonesian โขMotorcycle Taxi Drivers Amid Protests
Jakarta, Indonesia – As protests continue across indonesia following a fatal incident involving a police vehicle and a motorcycle taxi driver, anโข outpouring of support has emerged โขfrom 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 โขthe House of Representatives (DPR)โค – Rp50 million monthly – have escalated and spread from jakarta to cities including Makassar, Bandung, and Surabaya.
Amidst the chaos,โ including riots and the burning of public facilities like transjakarta busโ shelters and the Makassar DPRD โbuilding (resulting in four deaths), social media has become a platform for solidarity. Numerous foreign nationals areโ ordering food through ride-hailing appsโฃ andโ instructing drivers to distribute the mealsโ to their colleagues on the road.
One example surfaced on a widely viewed post,reaching 22โ million users by November 2025,where a user identified as X @mesko shared a screenshot of an order from aโข Bandung restaurant. โThe user contacted theโข ojol (online motorcycle taxi) driver and requested, in Malay, “Sir, you don’t need to deliver it to me. Please take the order, share โคit wiht yourโ friends.”
The gesture has inspiredโ similar actions from Indonesian citizens. User Xโ @emred also posted a screenshotโค of โa conversation with an ojol driver, writing, โข”Good โevening, sir. The food doesn’t need to be delivered.โข Please share it with your family or friends. Stay healthy and safe on the road. Wishing you all the best.”
The protests wereโฃ further inflamed by the death of an ojol โคdriver on August 28, 2025, who was struck byโฃ a Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) vehicle while dispersing protestors. The incident is โdetailed in a Tempo report: ojol Driver Fatally Struck byโฃ Brimob Vehicle After Falling to Retrieve Phone.