TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Three members of the House of Representatives (DPR) Legislative Body met protesters in front of the main gate of the DPR Building on Thursday, August 22, 2024. The three members are the Head of the DPR Legislative Body Wihadi Wiyanto, the Deputy Head Achmad Baidowi, and member Habiburokhman.

Initially, the three representatives of the parliament withdrew from meeting with protesters. They were seen turning around and walking back toward the nearby security post. When asked, Habiburokhman said the situation was not yet ‘conducive.’

“After the team considered the situation on the ground, in fear of agitators and such, it was not possible to meet the protesters (outside the gate),” he said.

The three finally met the demonstrators after calling in a representative, Labor Party Head Said Iqbal, to speak with them at the security post.

Guarded by police personnel, Habiburokhman, Wihadi, and Baidowi were met with less-than-welcoming reactions from the gathering mass. Some threw bottles toward the commando car where the three Legislative Body members were seen addressing the protesters.

The three DPR representatives did not spend much time with the protesters. Habiburokhman only briefly spoke through a speaker on top of the commando car before walking back inside the DPR gate.

Previously, DPR announced that it would postpone the plenary meeting on the Regional Head Election Bill today. The parliament reasoned that the meeting participants had not met the standard quota.

“In accordance with the existing regulation, the meeting today cannot be held,” Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad who led the DPR plenary meeting announced.

SULTAN ABDURRAHMAN

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