What Are the "17+8 Demands from the People" Backed by Jerome Polin?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prominent content creator Jerome Polin Sijabat, in collaboration with various civil society groups, is pressuring the government to address public grievances stemming from recent nationwide protests. These demands, summarized as the "17+8 Demands from the People," are a direct response to widespread dissatisfaction expressed on social media since the demonstrations began on Thursday, August 25, 2025.

What Are the "17+8 Demands from the People"?

The initiative outlines 17 short-term demands and eight long-term ones. The government has been given until September 5, 2025, to meet the 17 immediate demands. These points are organized by the institutions responsible for their implementation. The public is specifically demanding that President Prabowo Subianto withdraw the Indonesian Military (TNI) from civilian security duties and ensure that protestors are not criminalized.

In addition, the public is calling on President Subianto to immediately establish an independent investigation team to probe the death of Affan Kurniawan and all other victims of police violence during the demonstrations on August 28-30, 2025.

"Form an investigation team...with a clear and transparent mandate," states the first demand published on Jerome Polin's Instagram page on Monday, September 1, 2025.

According to Polin, these demands are the product of discussions among millions of people in Instagram comment sections and stories. The points also reflect the pressures from 211 civil society organizations, as outlined by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).

Furthermore, the demands incorporate the contents of the Reform Indonesia petition on Change.org, which has garnered more than 40,000 signatures.

The Complete List of the 17+8 Demands from the People

Short-Term Demands (Deadline: September 5, 2025)

DPR (House of Representatives) Tasks

- Freeze salary/benefit increases for DPR members and cancel new facilities.

- Proactively publish budget transparency (salaries, benefits, housing, and facilities of DPR members) with regular reporting.

- Investigate problematic wealth ownership of DPR members through the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

- Urge the DPR's Ethics Council to examine members who insult or dismiss the people's aspirations.

Political Party Leaders' Tasks

- Political parties must dismiss or strictly sanction party cadres who act unethically and provoke public anger.

- Publicly announce party commitments to side with the people in the midst of the crisis.

- DPR members must engage in public dialogue forums together with students and civil society to strengthen meaningful participation.

Indonesian Police Tasks

- Release all detained demonstrators and ensure that protesters are not criminalized.

- End police violence and comply with the existing SOP for crowd control.

- Arrest, prosecute, and transparently bring to justice the members and commanders who ordered and carried out acts of violence.

Indonesian Military (TNI) Tasks 

- End the involvement of the military (TNI) in civilian security; return the TNI to the barracks.

- Enforce internal discipline so that TNI members do not take over the functions of the police.

- Make a public commitment from the TNI not to intervene in civilian spaces during the democratic crisis.

Government Tasks

- Ensure decent wages for all sectors of the workforce (teachers, healthcare workers, laborers, ride-hailing partners).

- Take emergency measures to prevent mass layoffs and protect contract workers.

- Open dialogue with labor unions to resolve issues related to minimum wage and outsourcing.

Long-Term Demands (Deadline: August 31, 2026)

1. Clean Up and Overhaul the Parliament (DPR) on a Large Scale

2. Reform Political Parties and Strengthen Oversight of the Executive Branch

3. Draft a Fairer Tax Reform Plan

4. Pass and Enforce the Law on Asset Confiscation from Corruptors (RUU Perampasan Aset), Strengthen the Independence of the KPK, and Reinforce the Anti-Corruption Law (Tipikor)

5. Reform the Police to Be Professional and Humane

6. Return the Military (TNI) to the Barracks, Without Exception

7. Strengthen the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) and Other Independent Oversight Bodies

8. Review Policies in the Economic and Labor Sectors

Editor's Choice: Civil Society Coalition Says Prabowo Fails to Grasp Public Aspirations

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