Don’t Be Provoked by Fake Rumors, the Indonesian House of Representatives Has Responded to Public Aspirations by Eliminating Allowances

JAKARTA — The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has officially responded to public aspirations by eliminating housing allowances for council members, effective August 31, 2025.

This decision is a concrete step by the parliament in responding to the 17+8 demands voiced by the public and students in recent weeks.

Deputy Speaker of the DPR RI, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, emphasized that this policy demonstrates the DPR’s commitment to listening to the people’s voices.

“Starting August 31, 2025, the DPR RI has agreed to stop providing housing allowances. This is our concrete commitment to following up on the aspirations that have emerged in the community,” Dasco said some time ago.

He added that the DPR has also temporarily suspended working visits abroad, except for official state invitations that cannot be missed.

House Speaker Puan Maharani, on a separate occasion, emphasized that the allowance of IDR 50 million per month has been officially discontinued.

“There has never been a salary increase. Regarding housing allowances, they have been discontinued as of August 31st,” he said after a meeting with community leaders in Senayan.

He added that the postponement of overseas visits is part of the House of Representatives’ (DPR) transformation to make it more transparent and accountable.

“We truly want to carry out this transformation. The DPR must be more open, aspirational, and accountable,” he stressed.

House of Representatives Commission I member Farah Puteri Nahlia reminded the public not to be easily swayed by false rumors circulating on social media.

“In this still-vulnerable situation, we urge everyone to be more careful in receiving and disseminating information. Let’s develop a ‘filter before sharing’ attitude to avoid becoming part of the spread of fake news,” she said.

Farah believes that if the spread of hoaxes is carried out in an organized manner, it poses a serious threat to national unity.

She emphasized that any dissemination of fake news, regardless of platform, and not just on social media, will certainly have legal consequences.

“Anyone who spreads hoaxes can be subject to criminal sanctions. This regulation should serve as a serious reminder to all of us to be more responsible,” he said.

The Indonesian House of Representatives’ (DPR RI) move to immediately abolish the allowance and suspend travel facilities demonstrates the parliament’s clear commitment to the aspirations of all Indonesians.

The public is urged not to be easily provoked by false rumors and to maintain a healthy digital space for the sake of national unity. (*)