Prabowo Requests Ride-Hailing Commission Cut to 8%, This is What Ojek Drivers Say

A Grab driver, Isa (49), admits to having mixed feelings. On one hand, he is grateful that the government has finally responded to the demands voiced by drivers over the past three years. However, he worries that the apps will find other ways to cover the commission reduction. “To be honest, I both believe and don’t believe it. I’m afraid that while the commission is lowered, they’ll raise it elsewhere. For example, customers still pay Rp 28,000, but we still get about the same because service fees or app costs are increased,” said Isa when met in South Jakarta on Saturday (2/5/2026). According to him, transparency regarding service fees remains very minimal. Drivers, he said, often do not know why deductions in one transaction can differ greatly from another. “This fee is a problem; the apps set it arbitrarily. Sometimes Rp 3,000, sometimes Rp 5,000. If the commission drops but service fees rise, customers still pay high prices, and our income remains the same. That’s a big loophole,” he explained. He hopes the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) that will regulate this is truly detailed and closes loopholes for app manipulation. They want a win-win solution where drivers prosper, but apps can still operate. “Don’t let this Perpres pressure entrepreneurs until they flee abroad; that’s also dangerous for us. But please, apps, look down and see how hard we have it on the road,” added Isa. A similar sentiment was expressed by a Gojek partner, Andrianto (33). He worries about the emergence of new programmes from apps following the 8% cut. “If the impact is good for drivers, it’s fine actually. But sometimes when things are changed like that, I’m afraid new programmes will appear,” said Andrianto. “Like the other day during the protests, suddenly there were new programmes that were economical or paid ones. It seems like we’re the ones who end up troubled,” he continued. Therefore, he hopes this reduction to 8% is truly clean without any extras. If so, he says it could bring more income home. “But if everything is made 8%, personally I’m happy. Our income would automatically increase. Especially in times of crisis like this, our minds are all over the place. Afraid prices will rise, afraid we can’t pay for the kids’ school. That’s how it is, mixed feelings for sure,” revealed Andrianto. “Now, if our income increases like that, it’s like there’s hope for us. Alhamdulillah, we have a leader like Pak Prabowo who pays attention to the people. We’ll see how it goes in the future,” he hoped. Great hopes for this 8% policy also come from Pak Waritno (50), a Maxim driver. For him, every additional rupiah means a lot for his livelihood. Waritno was previously an online taxi driver, but he had to sell his car for his wife’s medical costs, who ultimately passed away. “I sold all my cars for treatment; now only this motorbike remains. My business closed because no one continued it, so I became an ojek driver due to my age, making it hard to find other work,” recounted Waritno. Now, Waritno struggles with an old motorbike because his vehicle does not meet the minimum year requirements for other apps. Although orders at Maxim are not as many as competitors, he remains grateful and awaits the realisation of the 8% cut. “If it indeed drops to 8%, it would greatly help increase income. At Maxim, fares are cheaper, but I get at most 5-6 trips a day. If deductions are small, there’s more left for petrol and food,” said Waritno. It is known that this policy was conveyed by Prabowo at the May Day 2026 event at Monas on Friday (1/5). Prabowo emphasised that he does not agree with ojol deductions reaching 20% and requested that the amount be reduced below 10%. The policy is contained in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 27 of 2026 on the Protection of Online Transport Workers. “Ojek drivers work hard, risking their lives every day. Ojek apps, companies demand 20% deposit. How can ojol agree to 20%? What about 15%? How much?? 10%, you ask for 10%? I say here I do not agree with 10%,” stated Prabowo firmly at the National Monument (Monas), Central Jakarta, on Friday (1/5). “It must be below 10%. It’s too easy; you sweat, they get the money, sorry. If you don’t want to follow, we don’t need to operate in Indonesia,” continued Prabowo. Perpres No. 27 of 2026 contains several regulations, including the provision of BPJS Health coverage to work accident insurance. Through this Perpres, the government also regulates income sharing for drivers and apps, changing from the previous 80%-20% to 92%-8%.