Indonesia's protests which escalated following the killing of a delivery rider have sparked a drive among South East Asians to show their support through delivery apps. Some in neighboring Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand are using the popular Grab and Gojek apps to order food in Indonesia for delivery riders, a key group taking part in the protests. Last week's killing of Gojek driver Affan Kurniawan led to public anger boiling over as protesters clashed with police and set fire to government buildings. At least 10 people have died in the demonstrations over the cost of living and social inequality, which have taken place in several cities across Indonesia. In recent days, the hashtag #SEAblings — a play on South East Asia's acronym — has gone viral on social media as some in neighbouring countries rally to support Indonesian protesters and delivery riders. Social media users have posted guides on how to help: by placing food orders on Grab and Gojek in Indonesia and informing the delivery riders that they can keep the food or distribute it to their family and friends. Tara, a 34-year-old living in the central Philippine island of Cebu, has ordered food and supplies twice in Jakarta for delivery riders in recent weeks. One was a complete meal for two people — rice topped with chicken and sambal, as well as drinks — and the other was a case of mineral water bottles. She told the BBC that she was inspired to do so as "I've been traveling around South East Asia recently, including Indonesia, and I've always used motorcycle taxis. They're always friendly. I feel like I have to help them. The only way I can do that right now is by sending food". She has translated a guide into Tagalog and posted it online to encourage fellow Filipinos to help Indonesians. Tara said she could sympathise with the Indonesian protesters' concerns. "Our government is just as bad and corrupt," she said. "But seeing you [Indonesians] all stand together against corrupt politicians is inspiring, and why wouldn't I support you in this?" Another supporter, 21-year-old Malaysian student Ayman Hareez Muhammad Adib, said he was inspired to order food for Indonesians because he was "in awe of the people and how spirited they are and how connected they are with each other, to be able to... revolt and fight back against injustice". "I think that it's a mark that they have power as people, because they work together. And when things are harming the people, they step up... they're not afraid of doing something about it," he told Reuters news agency. Taufik, a delivery rider working in West Jakarta, received one such order recently — a rice bowl and drinks — from an app user in Singapore. Such orders from overseas are "really helpful as orders have been quiet [since the protests began]. And for us, the food is even more helpful ," he told the BBC. Some Indonesian delivery riders have taken to social media to show their gratitude. One viral video showed a man crying as he thanked a donor from Singapore who had ordered food for him. "Many roads are closed, many restaurants are shut down, schools are closed, offices are closed, and our orders are really slow. But I also feel so touched, because it turns out there are still many good people who care about us—like this one. "Today there have been many orders like this — people ordering food or drinks but telling us not to deliver them, just to share them with other drivers. My friend also got one earlier and shared it around. Now I'm going to share mine with my friends too." It is not clear how many people have taken part in the support drive, but Grab has said it has seen increasing orders from users outside of Indonesia — particularly Southeast and East Asia — according to Reuters. The BBC has contacted Grab and Gojek for comment. Grab and Gojek are two of the most widely used delivery apps across South East Asia. Users can order food, groceries, and taxi rides by car or motorcycle. In Indonesia, many of those orders are handled by an army of motorcycle delivery riders wearing bright green uniforms, estimated to number up to 1.5 million including part-time workers. Mass demonstrations, fuelled by cost-of-living woes and public frustration with the political elite, first erupted in Jakarta on 25 August to condemn what many viewed as excessive pay and housing allowances for parliamentarians. By the end of the week, the protests turned violent when 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan got caught up in the protests while delivering an order, and ended up getting run over and killed by a police vehicle. President Prabowo Subianto and the chief of police apologised for his death — but it fuelled further discontent that spread to various corners of the archipelago, from West Java to the islands of Bali and Lombok. Prabowo has since announced that several perks would be reined in, including the size of some allowances, in a bid to quell public anger. But the demonstrations have continued, including a large one on Wednesday led by hundreds of women. — BBC
