"Article 28 of the 1945 Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression. Therefore, the state cannot take repressive act on demonstrators. On the other hand, the community, students in particular must not take acts of vandalism and violence during rallies," Aria Bima who is also deputy chief of the House Commission VI said here Friday.
Under the 1945 Constitution, every citizen had the right to hold rallies including those to protest against fuel price hike, he said.
Substantially, the government must view the rallies against fuel price hike as part of the people`s rights to struggle for their welfare, he said.
The rallies must also be viewed as the result of the government`s policy which might have a detrimental effect on the people`s life, he said.
He said such massive rallies would not occur if the government did not plan to raise fuel prices in the near future.
"The government has ignored inputs from politicians, observers and intellectual groups to find alternative to raising fuel prices," he said.
He said the PDIP faction in the House of Representatives was trying to find a solution to rising fuel subsidy as a result of global crude price hike.
"We are still making an effort to persuade the government to cancel its plan to raise fuel prices. If the plan to raise fuel prices is canceled, the country will not go bankrupt," he said.
(M036)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
