Rural leaders protest outside the building - Politics - The Jakarta Post

Thousands of village heads from across the country held a rally in front of the House of Representatives building and blocked roads on Wednesday, demanding the approval of the revised Village Law before the upcoming general elections. The village heads, some in white uniforms with the inscription "Association of Village Management of Indonesia" (Apdesi) and others in brown uniforms, blocked Jl. Gatot Subroto in Central Jakarta and the inner-city highway, as the police refused to open the gates of the House.

The protesters demanded that the Chamber hold a plenary session with the government to approve the revised Village Law. The amendments include extending the terms of village heads, increasing the Village Funds program, defining the employment status of village officials, and village autonomy. The village heads argued that the Chamber is delaying and ignoring the aspirations of the village.