Of protests and rubber pellets

Strong emotions: Many Indonesian youths were present at the protest, while nearly 60,000 security personnel were deployed onto the streets during the protests. — Photos by Team Ceritalah

NIGHTFALL in Jakarta is much earlier than in Kuala Lumpur. The break of fast is at 5.47pm and for Dita Hidayatunnisa, a plump but animated 27-year-old teacher cum administrator from Bekasi, the lengthening shadows made her and her friends suddenly more aware of the change in the mood on Jalan MH Thamrin, the broad six-lane avenue, immediately outside the Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Agency) building in the centre of the city.

“The people around us were suddenly different. They weren’t just shuffling around like the rest of us. They seemed to have a purpose.”