3 killed as protests spread in Indonesia

A fire started by protesters at a council building in eastern Indonesia killed at least three people, a local official said yesterday, after the death of a man hit by a police vehicle sparked widespread demonstrations.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy was rocked by protests in major cities, including the capital Jakarta, on Friday after footage spread of a motorcycle taxi driver being run over by a police tactical vehicle during an earlier rally against low wages and financial perks for lawmakers.

The protests are the biggest and most violent of Prabowo Subianto's presidency, a key test for the ex-general less than a year into his rule.

Protests in Makassar, the biggest city on the eastern island of Sulawesi, descended into chaos outside the provincial and city council buildings, which were both set on fire as demonstrators hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails. Three people were killed, its secretary Rahmat Mappatoba told AFP.

Protesters yesterday gathered again in different areas of Indonesia's vast archipelago.

Hundreds of students and "ojek" motorcycle taxi drivers protested in front of the police headquarters in Bali, Indonesia's most popular tourist hotspot.

Protesters on neighbouring Lombok island stormed a council building in the provincial capital Mataram and set it on fire, despite police attempts to stop them with tear gas.

In Jakarta, hundreds had massed on Friday outside the headquarters of the elite Mobile Brigade Corp (Brimob) paramilitary police unit they blamed for motorcycle gig driver Affan Kurniawan's death the day before.

Protesters threw firecrackers as police responded with tear gas.

Police said they had detained seven officers for questioning in connection with Affan's death.

President Prabowo has urged calm, and ordered an investigation into the driver's death and that the officers involved be held accountable.