INTERNATIONAL – As Indonesia convulsed with public outrage over police brutality and largesse for lawmakers, President Prabowo Subianto initially canceled a planned diplomatic visit to China. Protests ignited by a fatal police incident and sweeping demonstrations against costly parliamentary perks spiraled into nationwide unrest, leaving multiple regions alight and scores injured or dead.
As reported from The Straits Time, Prabowo reversed his decision after a week later. He took a one-day trip to Beijing to attend China’s Victory Day military parade marking 80 years since the end of World War II, citing an improving domestic situation as justification.
In Jakarta, the timing of his departure drew harsh criticism—many saw it as callous and untimely, given the scale of the unrest. “Despite widespread protests, he still went,” noted analysts and rights groups alike. Indeed, protests had forced him to revoke perks for MPs and suspend their overseas travel, yet the reversal and subsequent trip triggered accusations that the president prioritized foreign ties over domestic stability.
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Meanwhile in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping received Prabowo warmly, conveying support for his leadership and renewed regional cooperation. Xi praised the visit as “a show of Indonesia’s commitment to stable relations.”
Back home, the atmosphere was far from calm. Protesters continued to rage—women wielded brooms as symbols of sweeping out corruption, rioters torched regional parliaments, and the death toll climbed. Security forces responded with tear gas, thousands were deployed, and the United Nations warned of potential human rights violations.
This sudden diplomatic flip-flop reveals the tightrope Prabowo walks: balancing international expectations with mounting domestic pressure. While the China visit may have bolstered external alliances, it risks deepening public mistrust and further destabilizing his leadership—if perceived as tone-deaf during a national crisis.
