he government is tightening its grip on Indonesia’s online ride-hailing industry by lowering the fee share digital platforms can take from drivers and extending its reach through equity purchases via state asset fund Danantara. Analysts say the moves carry strong political undertones and could unsettle the sector’s already fragile profitability outlook.
Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said during the May Day celebration on Friday that Danantara has acquired stakes in ride-hailing platforms as part of a broader policy shift accompanying Presidential Regulation No. 27/2026, which forces tech firms to cut commissions and expand on-demand driver protections.
He did not specify which companies Danantara had invested in or the size of the stakes.
He said the government’s entry into platform ownership is intended to give the state leverage to reshape policies in the sector, including reducing commissions long criticized by drivers.
“The first priority is to lower the fees taken by the platforms. From around 20 percent, this will be reduced so that platforms only take 8 percent,” Dasco said on Friday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Dasco added the government is also reviewing the employment status of ride-hailing drivers, whether they should be classified as workers or remain as “partners”, and said drivers would be included in the consultation process.
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The country’s ride-hailing market is dominated by Gojek, operated by PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia, and its rival Singapore-based Grab, with smaller players including Maxim and inDrive, both Russia-based.
