Indonesian celebrities join forces to ‘stand up for democracy’ amid protests against electoral law

Although anti-government protests are nothing new in Indonesia, the presence of prominent figures such as Reza and acclaimed director Joko Anwar signals a clear shift. These entertainers, who usually stay away from political issues, are now jumping into the fray, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

The unrest broke out in Jakarta and other Indonesian cities after the House of Representatives announced plans last week to override regional electoral rules set by the Constitutional Court.

Joko, whose current Netflix series Nightmares and daydreams was met with applause and gave expression to widespread discontent.

Indonesians are “fed up with the authorities and representatives who have always thought the people were stupid,” he told This Week in Asia.

“They pretend that the people do not exist by arbitrarily playing with the law to gain power, and this issue of the regional elections was the boiling point for us,” he said. “We have had enough.”

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Indonesia: Protests rage after parliament puts plans to change electoral law on hold

Indonesia: Protests rage after parliament puts plans to change electoral law on hold

Tensions escalated further when public figures began to display a haunting image with a blue background and the words Darurat Travel Guide (emergency alert) on social media – often accompanied by messages claiming that Indonesia’s democracy was under a state of emergency.

The ruling would have allowed opposition politician Anies Baswedan, who lost the presidential election to Prabowo Subianto in February, to run for governor of Jakarta in November. The court also upheld the minimum age requirement of 30, preventing Widodo's son Kaesang Pangarep from running for deputy governor of Central Java.

However, a day after the decision, parliament announced plans to pass a reformed electoral law that would override the court's ruling and disqualify Anies, while paving the way for Kaesang.

Gibran, 36, was allowed to run for vice president in February's elections because a controversial constitutional court ruling lowered the age limit, allowing him to run despite not meeting the minimum age of 40 originally required.

“It's about democracy”

Film star Reza told “This Week in Asia” that his participation in the protest was spontaneous.

“I thought I would just go to the protesting students. I didn't think or expect that I would go there to say something. It was quite natural.”

He said he was encouraged by the court ruling but deeply disappointed by Parliament's attempt to overturn it.

“For me, this was a turning point. The Indonesian people have already accepted so much,” he said. “For me, this was not personal, but it was about the democracy of the future. This time they went too far.”

In response to widespread protests and palpable popular anger, the Indonesian parliament announced that it had “postponed” the adoption of controversial changes to the electoral law.

“It is questionable whether it will have an effect if celebrities speak out,” Reza said of parliament's decision to back down. “I don't think the decision was made because of one group, but because of the many groups from all walks of life that came together at the demonstrations.”

While he acknowledged that many are afraid of saying the wrong thing, he stressed the importance of speaking out. “It is very important to stand up for democracy. If I can do more, I will,” he said.

Joko agreed, saying it was “very important” that public figures take part in the protests.

“Public figures have a large following, so our statements naturally reach many people. It is also important that this shows that all members of society, regardless of their profession, must work together to fight the corrupt government and the people's representatives,” he said.

“We will continue to participate in the protests in person and continue to protest via social media.”

Ian Wilson, a lecturer in politics and security studies at Murdoch University in Perth, said it was “good to see people speaking out about electoral democracy”.

“But the real test will be whether it is just for this moment or whether it will continue when it is no longer so safe. Now, at the end of the outgoing president's term, it is safer to do it,” he said.

Wilson said the widespread praise for Joko and Reza reflected the broader problem that there are few public figures in Indonesia willing to openly participate in political discourse.

“This suggests a leadership vacuum, and we don't really have many opposition figures other than politicians and activists with a coherent narrative,” he said. “There is no real opposition figure or moral voice that people usually prefer to political figures.”

Wilson said Reza's impromptu speech resonated with the crowd because it was so authentic.

“He didn’t sound self-serving and that’s why it touched people,” Wilson said.

“People like it when someone who is very successful and powerful speaks their mind because they assume that if you are popular and powerful you don't have to. That speaks across class lines.”