‘I am shocked’: Prabowo hits out at Indonesia’s police over protest handling

Prabowo urged calm and singled out the police as he sought to defuse the demonstrations, which represent the biggest test of his presidency and have unnerved investors. The rupiah and Indonesian stocks fell on Friday.

The president’s term has been marked by periods of unrest since he took office in October, as Prabowo struggles to deliver on his sweeping promises to improve the lives of the Indonesian people. In February

, students and civil society groups protested his state budget revamp that threatened contract workers’ jobs, rolled back scholarships and even dimmed the lights at government offices.

In his first remarks since the protests erupted earlier in the week, Prabowo criticised the police over the death of the taxi driver

and promised to hold officers accountable. Thousands had rallied on Thursday to oppose the increased allowances for lawmakers and demand a rise in the minimum wage.

“I am shocked and disappointed by the excessive actions of the officers,” Prabowo said in a televised address. He also called on Indonesians to remain calm and be vigilant against “elements that always want to cause unrest and chaos”.