Lawmakers get allowance increase after mass protests

Indonesia has nearly doubled a key allowance for its lawmakers, an official said yesterday, one month after cancelling some of the benefits given to parliamentarians in an effortto assuage public anger following a series of violent demonstrations.

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In August, thousands of students, rights groups and other civilians joined protests against the government’s spending priorities, including pay rises for lawmakers. The demonstrations later spiralled into riots after a motorcycle taxi driver was killed during a police operation.

The violence, which spread to 32 of Indonesia's 38 provinces, resulted in 10 deaths and atleast 5,000 arrests, making itthe deadliest outbreak of unrest in the archipelago for over two decades.