Timor-Leste Fraps plans to buy free MPS cars after protests

Timor-Leste refused the plan to give his legislators free cars after thousands of people took to the streets to protest against it.

On Tuesday, the demonstrators burned down tires and allocated a government vehicle, and the police responded with tear gas – a few hours later the government bowed to public pressure and abandoned the plan.

Despite this, many returned to the streets, and one tread said the BBC that they counted about 2000 demonstrators in Dili’s capital on Wednesday.

Although the protests were originally caused by cars, they have now expanded to cover calls for lifelong retirement pensions.

The praises come as governments across Asia, from Nepal to Indonesia, were confused by the angry young participants seeking to aim at the perception of excessive legislators.

One student who decided not to identify him, told the BBC that she had beaten her tear gas when she was in front of the campus.

He says he is angry with lawmakers for “(wants) to buy luxury cars as long as their people are still suffering.”

Timor Leste legislators have an annual salary of $ 36,000 (26,377 pounds) as of 2023, the Interparliamentary Union reports.

This is more than 10 times than the average income of the country, which in the 2021 government’s report is estimated at about $ 3,000.

The plan for the purchase of legislators is not new – and there were actually regular demonstrations against free cars provided by lawmakers from the 2000s, said Cesario Cesar, one of the key figures leading the BBC protests.

In 2008, police detained several students for a protest against the plan to spend $ 1 million (£ 730,000) on new cars for deputies.

But only now the movement is really lifted – when the country continues to fight high inequality and unemployment.

“We started this protest … When they decided to buy cars,” Mr. Cesar said.

But this week’s demonstrations exploded because “people are tired of things,” he added

“People do not have access to good education, water and sanitation … We lack facilities, but they still create so many laws to benefit ourselves,” Mr. Cesar said.

“We believe it is injustice.”

The 30-year-old university student added that lawmakers had already owned cars provided by the government,-but they had plans to buy new cars, despite existing machines, “still (being) in good condition.”

On Tuesday, the parliamentarians unanimously voted in favor of depriving the plan to buy new Toyota Prado SUVs for each of the country’s 65 deputies.

But the protests continued on Wednesday, with some skepticalism to politics.

“There are rumors that the cars are already on the way,” said 42-year-old Trinita Goyo.

“That’s why all these students and I am here today to make sure my tax money is not going … wrong.”

Demonstrators also seek to reform the law promising former pensions on the life of deputies.

According to the UN.

It is also among the poorest countries in the region – although it is often considered a beacon of democracy among neighbors.

Fidelis Leit Magalhez, former Minister and President of the Institute of Politics and International Affairs in Timor-Leste, said the BBC that “people are used to the idea that protests are part of the democratic system.”

“Life in Dili is normal,” he said on Wednesday the BBC. “This is one of the biggest protests, but protests are no longer causing panic in society.”

This happens when similar recent anti -government protests are observed in neighboring countries throughout Asia, which is caused by anger when corruption and inequality.

Last week, dozens were killed in Nepal at large -scale demonstrations when the young general Z took to the streets to protest against the “babies” Nepo and the broad political elite. Interested in the country’s leaders in just 48 hours.

In August, Indonesia also cited life costs and similar anger in the elites that had grown dramatically after a police car was killed by a motorcycle.

Additional reporting by Gavin Batler