Tens of thousands of protesters clashed with police in Jakarta as protests against a controversial investment law entered a third day. Indonesian workers launched protests in several cities to oppose the law that the government says is vital to attract investment but critics view it as too pro-business. Parliament passed into law President Joko Widodo's "omnibus" Job Creation bill on October 5, revising over 70 existing laws to speed up economic reform and improve the investment climate.

Parliament voted on the bill earlier than expected and ahead of a national strike that started on October 6 and which unions expect to involve 2 million workers. The new law removes the three-year maximum duration of contracts and cuts severance benefits among provisions that the government said are intended to promote formal hiring.