On 3/9, Rizky Azhar received a food delivery order with a message stating the beef rice dish was a gift for him. This act of kindness is part of a wave of support from people in neighboring countries, sending food to Indonesian delivery drivers to show solidarity amid week-long protests against income inequality.

"We were so surprised that in recent days, some foreigners have shown their care for us," Rizky said after a slow workday due to school and office closures in Jakarta caused by the protests.

Pratiwi Ariyanti, 38, an Indonesian ride-hailing driver, drives after receiving a food gift from an overseas customer via the app, in Jakarta on 3/9. Photo: Reuters

Pratiwi Ariyanti, 38, an Indonesian ride-hailing driver, drives after receiving a food gift from an overseas customer via the app, in Jakarta on 3/9. Photo: Reuters

The gift came from Ayman Hareez Muhammad Adib, a 23-year-old living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over 1,100 km from Jakarta. After reading news about the protests by delivery drivers and students against income inequality, he decided to take action.

"I showed my support for what’s happening in Indonesia by sending food to the drivers there," Adib said.

The protests began on 25/8, sparked by reports that 580 Indonesian lawmakers received a 50 million rupiah (3,041 USD) monthly housing allowance in addition to their salaries, 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta. Critics argued this allowance was excessive given the rising taxes, high cost of living, and increasing unemployment faced by most Indonesians.

The protests escalated on 29/8 when a police vehicle struck and killed Affan Kurniawan, a delivery driver who had just completed an order near the parliament building. At least 10 people have died and over 700 have been injured in the ensuing unrest, which has also seen looting of homes, including those of government officials and members of parliament. Around 1,200 people have been arrested.

Last week, hundreds of drivers, mostly working for Grab and Gojek (operated by Indonesia's largest tech company, GoTo), escorted Affan's coffin to a Jakarta cemetery.

Activists, union members and drivers gather near the National Monument complex in Jakarta on 4/9. Photo: Reuters

Activists, union members and drivers gather near the National Monument complex in Jakarta on 4/9. Photo: Reuters

A Grab spokesperson confirmed an increase in orders from overseas to Indonesian addresses over the past week, primarily from Southeast and East Asia, but declined to provide specific figures or countries. Tyas Widyastuti, Grab's director of mobility and logistics, noted the 'Treat Your Driver' feature has been popular during this time as a gesture of solidarity.

A GoTo spokesperson said its 'Treat Your Driver' feature "has been embraced by customers during this time as a gesture of solidarity with drivers," but didn't specify whether these orders were placed from abroad.

The widespread unrest, affecting 32 of Indonesia's 38 provinces, has prompted President Prabowo Subianto to revoke some lawmaker perks, including the housing allowance. One of the seven police officers in the vehicle that killed the delivery driver has been dismissed after an ethics hearing, according to a national police spokesperson. The fate of the other six officers remains unclear.

Hong Hanh (Reuters)