The minimum wage in Jakarta is just over RM1,300 a month. Yet MPs were set to receive a housing allowance nearly 10 times that amount.
That decision set off a chain reaction that would soon spiral into nationwide protests, public anger, and eventually, a presidential U-turn in Indonesia.
What began as online criticism quickly spilled onto the streets. Within days, protesters were marching through cities, politicians’ homes were stormed, public buildings were damaged, and six civilians lost their lives all because of one controversial pay hike.
Why people are so angry
So, what exactly triggered such an intense reaction?
The protests erupted when Indonesians learned that MPs were being rewarded with bigger financial perks while ordinary families were struggling with rising prices and government-imposed austerity measures.
As if things weren’t bad enough, a viral video showing several MPs dancing inside parliament during this crisis only made people angrier.
Sensing the growing discontent, President Prabowo Subianto finally stepped in. He announced that several allowances and privileges for MPs officially known as Anggota Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) would be withdrawn in an attempt to calm the public.
The numbers that shocked everyone
To understand why people were so furious, let’s break down the numbers.
Indonesian MPs were about to receive a housing allowance of 50 million rupiah a month, which works out to roughly RM12,957. Meanwhile, the minimum wage in Jakarta is just 5.3 million rupiah (about RM1,365).
This meant the housing allowance alone was already 10 times the salary of the average worker, and it was happening during a period when many Indonesians were already struggling to make ends meet.
What about our MPs?
As the story spread across social media, Malaysians couldn’t help but make comparisons. How did local MPs’ earnings stack up against those in Indonesia?
Well, here’s the reality:
- A Malaysian MP gets a fixed monthly allowance of RM25,700.
- That’s 15 times higher than Malaysia’s minimum wage of RM1,700.
And that’s just the starting point. MPs can also claim:
- RM400/day for parliament attendance
- RM250–RM300/day for committee or briefing meetings
- RM100/day for daily living allowance if they travel over 32km
- Travel, hotel, and even laundry expenses
When MPs head overseas, the perks get even bigger:
- RM340/night for meals
- RM170/day for daily allowance
- Accommodation, air, and land transport claims
- Extra claims for currency exchange losses and tips
Add all of this up, and a Malaysian MP could easily earn RM30,000 to RM40,000 a month in total.
Huge contrast with Indonesia’s MPs
Now here’s where things get interesting.
While Indonesians were angry over the allowance hike, the basic salaries for their MPs are actually much lowercompared to Malaysia’s:
- Regular DPR members take home just 4.2 million rupiah (about RM1,149).
- The Speaker earns RM1,385/month, while the Deputy Speaker gets RM1,264/month.
This stark contrast between allowances, salaries, and minimum wages has opened up wider conversations in both countries about whether politicians’ pay should better reflect the economic realities faced by ordinary citizens.
