What Are the 17+8 People’s Demands?

The term 17+8 People’s Demands emerged on social media, formulated by influencers like Jerome Polin, Salsa Erwina Hutagalung, Andovi da Lopez, Fathia Izzati, and Abigail Limuria. It summarizes hundreds of aspirations voiced during the late August 2025 demonstrations, supported by civil society organizations, unions, and academics.

The number “17” refers to short-term demands to be completed within a week (by September 5, 2025), while “8” are long-term demands with a deadline of August 31, 2026.

17 Short-Term Demands (By September 5, 2025)

These demands are directed at six parties: President Prabowo Subianto, Parliament (DPR), political party leaders, Police (Polri), Military (TNI), and the Ministry of Economy.

To the President

  1. Withdraw the military (TNI) from civil security and ensure demonstrators are not criminalized.
  2. Form an independent investigation team for the cases of Affan Kurniawan, Umar Amarudin, and other victims of state violence.

To Parliament (DPR)

  1. Freeze salary and allowance increases, cancel new perks (including pensions).
  2. Make DPR’s budget transparent—salaries, allowances, perks, all must be published.
  3. Empower the Ethics Council to investigate and sanction problematic members (involve KPK if necessary).

To Political Party Leaders

  1. Dismiss or sanction MPs acting unethically.
  2. Publicly declare the party’s commitment to side with the people.
  3. Invite cadres to hold public dialogue with students and civil society.

To the Police (Polri)

  1. Release all detained demonstrators.
  2. Stop violence against demonstrators, comply with SOP for crowd control.
  3. Conduct transparent legal proceedings against officers or commanders involved in violence or human rights violations.

To the Military (TNI)

  1. Return immediately to the barracks, stop involvement in civil security.
  2. Enforce discipline to ensure no takeover of police duties.
  3. Make a public commitment that the military will not enter civil spaces during a democratic crisis.

To the Ministry of Economy

  1. Ensure decent wages for all—teachers, workers, healthcare staff, delivery partners, etc.
  2. Take emergency measures to prevent mass layoffs and protect contract workers.
  3. Engage in dialogue with labor unions on minimum wages and outsourcing.

8 Long-Term Demands (By August 31, 2026)

  1. Comprehensive parliamentary reform: independent audit, ban former corruptors, set KPIs, abolish lifetime pensions and special perks.
  2. Political parties must be more accountable: publish financial reports and ensure effective opposition.
  3. Tax reform: design a fairer system, review central–regional budget balance, revoke burdensome tax plans.
  4. Asset Seizure Law for Corruptors: pass immediately, strengthen KPK’s independence.
  5. A more professional and humane police: revise Police Law, decentralize public order, security, and traffic functions.
  6. The military must fully return to barracks: stop involvement in civil projects like food estates, start revising the TNI Law.
  7. Strengthen oversight institutions: revise the Human Rights Commission Law, strengthen Ombudsman and Kompolnas.
  8. Review economic and labor policies: evaluate national projects, protect indigenous and environmental rights, revise the Job Creation Law, audit SOEs and sovereign funds.

Brief Summary

The 17+8 People’s Demands summarize 25 public demands: 17 short-term and 8 long-term reform agendas. They include issues of transparency, fair wages, human rights, professionalism of institutions, and oversight reform. All aim to make the government more responsive and progressive.

[Source: Public Aspirations and 2025 Demonstrations]