The Albany Gazette - Indonesian finance minister's home looted as protest anger grows

Southeast Asia's biggest economy has been rocked by protests in major cities since the death of motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan, who was run over by police during a rally against financial perks for lawmakers.

The demonstrations are the biggest and most violent of Prabowo Subianto's presidency, a key test for the ex-general less than a year into his rule, and anger has now spread to some members of parliament.

The house of minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati in South Tangerang, a city neighbouring the capital Jakarta, was ransacked in the early hours of Sunday in two waves, said neighbour Damianus Rudolf.

"In the first group of looters, there were dozens of motorcycles ridden by two to three people each. In the second group, there were around 150 people," the 34-year-old told AFP.

"They looted a television, sound system, living room decorations, clothes, plates, bowls."

Sri Mulyani was not inside the house when the incident occurred, state news agency Antara reported, citing two witnesses.

She is an influential figure who once served as managing director of the World Bank and has served as finance minister for three different presidents.

Soldiers were guarding her residence on Sunday afternoon, when an AFP journalist saw trucks carrying away some objects from the house.

Several other lawmakers' homes have also been looted in recent days, including the house of Ahmad Sahroni from the NasDem party that serves in Prabowo's ruling coalition. Crowds attacked the property on Saturday night and damaged objects, including a car, Antara reported.

The house of another NasDem party politician, Nafa Urbach, was ransacked early Sunday, local media reported citing a witness.

A mob stormed the house of lawmaker Eko Hendro Purnomo on Saturday night, Antara reported.

Protests have spread to other major cities, including Yogyakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Surabaya in Java, and Medan in North Sumatra province.

(L.Thomas--TAG)