#SEAbling support: Southeast Asians, including S’poreans, are helping Indonesians amid widespread protests

SINGAPORE: Indonesia has lately been racked with protests, as people have taken to the streets, initially against proposed higher housing allowances p for legislators while salaries have stayed the same and living costs have increased.

Many of the protesters have been students and food delivery drivers. On Aug 28, a protest at the Parliament complex in Jakarta turned violent. It resulted in the death of Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old Grab driver. Outrage has since spread across the country.

SEAblings in the ‘Grab Movement’

One bright spot amid the turmoil is that many people in Southeast Asia are helping protesters in Indonesia out, showing solidarity and support, especially to Grab and Gojek drivers. According to a Sept 4 Reuters report, people from Southeast and East Asia have been ordering food, and delivery drivers have been shocked to find out that the food ordered is for them.

While the “Grab movement” to help Indonesian delivery drivers started in Malaysia, citizens of other ASEAN countries have followed suit.

“This morning I opened Threads and cried seeing so many brothers and sisters from Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and many other countries sending food through Grabfood to people in Indonesia. Thank you so much, everyone, for your help and support. It means a lot, it’s not just food but it’s hope and strength you gave us,” wrote a woman named Eunike Ardita in a Sept 2 post on Threads.

Meanwhile, a Threads user from Japan who goes by xiinya_jp recently sent a meal to a Gojek driver and has been encouraging her countrymen to do the same.

Grateful

The delivery riders who have been on the receiving end of their “SEAblings’” support have taken to social media to express their gratitude.

On TikTok, a Sept 2 video from a delivery rider who goes by @aktaasli on the platform has had over 1.2 million views. In it, the rider explains that with the temporary shutting of food and beverage establishments amid the protests, there have been fewer orders from customers, which has put their livelihood at risk.

@aktaasli

Terharuu 🥺 trimkasih orang baik #ojoltiktok #tiktok #akta #viralvideo

♬ suara asli – AKTA – AKTA

But then he shows screenshots of an order from a Singaporean customer, who bought food not only for the post author but also for his fellow delivery riders.

“Today I feel happy and moved. There are many good people who care about us,” he said, tearing up and adding, “Singaporeans still care about us, the people of Indonesia.”

He also noted that that was not the only such order he has received, and that there have been others.

A fellow delivery rider who is also a TikTok user posted a video on Sept 2 wherein he thanked people from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand for ordering food for them. Incredibly, Bang Sam noted that a fifth of the orders he has been getting are from Malaysia.

Expressing his gratitude to those who have been sending support their way, he added that this has been going on for some days now. /TISG

Read also: Bytedance’s TikTok temporarily suspends live feature in Indonesia for the next few days amid protests