Malari incident

Malari incident
Date15–16 January 1974
Location
Jakarta, Indonesia
Caused byCorruption
Competition from foreign investments
Military power struggle
MethodsStudent demonstrations, riots, pogroms
Resulted inSee Aftermath
Parties
Indonesian students and urban poor
New Order government
Casualties and losses
11 killed, 137 injured
None reported

The Malari incident ([maˈlari]; Indonesian: Peristiwa Malari, short for Malapetaka Lima Belas Januari, "Fifteenth of January Disaster") was a student demonstration and riot that happened on 15 and 16 January 1974 in Jakarta.[1] In reaction to a state visit by the Japanese Prime Minister, Kakuei Tanaka, students held a demonstration protesting corruption, high prices, and inequality in foreign investments. After provocation by suspected agent provocateurs, the demonstrations became riots, which eventually turned into a pogrom. By the end of the incident, eleven protesters had been killed and hundreds of cars and buildings destroyed.

The riots caused numerous changes. Suharto's New Order government enacted a series of economic reforms meant to improve Native Indonesian representation in partnerships with foreign investors, General Sumitro (then Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces), was forced to retire, and numerous repressive measures were enforced by the government.

  1. ^ "Malari 1974: Protes Mahasiswa yang Ditunggangi Para Jenderal". Tirto.id. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2022.