Thousands of online motorcycle taxi (ojol), ride-hailing taxi, and courier drivers staged a mass protest today, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Central Jakarta, focusing their rally at the Horse Statue area and the Ministry of Transportation office. 

The rally, which began at 12:30 pm, was organized by a coalition of labor unions and driver communities from across Java, Sumatra, and Greater Jakarta.

According to Lily Pujiati, Chair of the Indonesian Transportation Workers Union (SPAI), the action represents a unified protest by various driver groups against what they describe as exploitative practices by ride-hailing platforms. The demonstrators also held an “off-bid” protest, shutting off their apps for the entire day nationwide.

“We’re going offline across Indonesia for one full day, from 00:00 to 23:59,” Lily told Katadata.co.id, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Raden Igun Wicaksono, Chairman of the Indonesian Ojol Drivers Association (Garda), said drivers from Kemayoran staged a convoy to Monas, arriving around 1 pm.

“The rally is expected to draw over 25,000 participants from cities across Java, parts of Sumatra, and Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta areas),” Igun said on Monday, May 19, 2025.

He emphasized that the protest aims to pressure the government to take a firm stance on long-ignored regulatory violations affecting drivers since 2022. Rallies were also scheduled at the Presidential Palace, DPR (House of Representatives), and various app company offices.

Outside Jakarta, around 10,000 ojol drivers in South Sumatra also joined the off-bid movement, holding a full-day protest at the South Sumatra Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) in Palembang.

“This will last the whole day,” Muhammad Asrul Indrawan, Chairman of the Online Driver Association (ADO), said in Palembang on Monday, May 19, 2025.

However, not all groups participated. The National Ojol Coalition (KON) and Greater Jakarta Driver Family (KBDJ) opted out, citing concerns over political exploitation.

“More and more external parties are hijacking ojol drivers’ issues for political and hidden business interests without understanding the drivers’ real situation,” KON Chair Andi Kristianto, said.

Government response

The government responded with a call for constructive dialogue. Hasan Nasbi, Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), affirmed that the government, through the Ministry of Transportation, is seeking a win-win solution.

“There’s ongoing dialogue with driver representatives. The Ministry of Transportation is leading the technical discussions,” he said in Jakarta, Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Hasan emphasized that the drivers’ actions are protected by the constitution, but also urged the public's interest not be disrupted.

“The right to express opinions is guaranteed. But we appeal that it doesn’t interfere with the needs of the wider public,” he said.

He also assured that the government remains open to listening to and discussing the drivers' aspirations as part of improving the ride-hailing ecosystem in Indonesia.