Aliansi Gusar - Overseas Responses to Indonesia's Protests

On August 25 2025, protestors took to the streets in Jakarta outside the parliament to vocalise their loss of confidence in the current parliament. While the protests were triggered by a newly announced increase in parliamentarian housing allowances, the protests were about so much more. Underpinning it all was a general lack of confidence that Indonesian politicians care about, or were effectively responding to, the very real struggles of everyday Indonesians that they are supposed to be representing. These protests spread to other parts of the country and in some cases, turned deadly. In today’s special episode, we turn to the thoughts and responses of Indonesians currently living overseas. Being away from home when such serious and concerning events are underway poses its own challenges, and today I want to find out more about how they are getting information, what they see as the key issues, and what can be done from abroad. Elisabeth Kramer talks to Indonesian students currently studying at the University of Sydney, Australia--Mahesti Hasanah (PhD Candidate Political Economy), Benni Hasbiyalloh (PhD Candidate Government and International Relations) and Ifana Tungga (Masters Candidate Cultural Studies). They are some of the organisers behind Aliansi Gusar, a grassroots based organisation concerned with justice and equality in Indonesia. They share their thoughts and experiences regarding the current protests and organising around ongoing issues in Indonesia. This podcast was recorded on 7 September 2025.