Indonesian novelist Eka Kurniawan has turned down a state cultural award from the Indonesian Education and Culture Ministry, using the refusal as a public protest against what he describes as the government's record on free expression. In a letter addressed to the ministry, the author said he could not accept the honour because he did not want to appear complicit in cultural policies he considers repressive. He added that his voice may not be the loudest, but he wanted it to be unmistakably clear. Kurniawan also urged the government to do more to investigate historic human rights abuses and to strengthen protections for free speech. The refusal adds to a difficult week for Indonesian culture, coming as artists and institutions there face intensifying censorship and political pressure over the country's direction. Money also factored into the protest. According to a report in the Jakarta Post, the cultural award would have consisted of a pin and Rp 50 million, roughly £2,800, after taxes — a sum Kurniawan contrasted with the Rp 1.5 billion paid to athletes who win gold medals at the Asian Games. The gap, he suggested, raised doubts about how sincere the government's commitment to culture really is. Kurniawan is among Indonesia's best-known living novelists, with books including Beauty Is a Wound and Man Tiger translated internationally and shortlisted for major prizes. His refusal puts one of the country's most prominent literary voices publicly at odds with the state — a rare and pointed act of dissent in a climate where cultural figures often avoid direct confrontation.