This time, the rallies against the fuel price hike involved not only students and workers but roadside vendors, pedicab drivers and workers grouped under Article 33 of the National Movement (GANAS PATI), as well.
The demonstrators carried banners and posters rejecting the fuel price hike.
During their rally at the Gladag roundabout on Slamet Riyadi Street here, the demonstrators took turns to deliver their orations, urging the public and passersby to unite in rejecting the policy, which, they said, would cause people to suffer.
The rallys coordinator, Suci Nor Afifah, further pointed out that the governments policy to lift oil subsidy, if realized, would make low-income people doubt President Joko "Jokowi" Widodos pro-people commitment.
She added that people belonging to this stratum of society had, so far, pinned their hopes on the newly-inaugurated president for better economic lives.
"Instead of cracking down on the oil and gas mafia to curb leakage in the management of fuel oils, as he promised in his July 2014 presidential election campaigns, Jokowi seems to be fond of diverting the burden of fuel subsidy budget to the public by raising the prices of fuel oils. Mental revolution, which became his campaign jargon, is nothing more than lip service," Afifah remarked.
The rally coordinator further stated: "Lifting fuel subsidy was a pragmatic policy undertaken by previous presidents. What difference does this move leave between Jokowi and his predecessors? There is mental revolution. He only copies his predecessors policies."
Earlier, Vice President Jusuf Kalla hinted that the government would raise the prices of subsidized fuel oils later this month.
In related developments, hundreds of students staged a rally outside the Banten Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) building here on Thursday to protest against the governments plan to raise the prices of subsidized fuel oils.
"We hope the government of President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla will review the plan to raise the cost of fuel oils," field coordinator of the Student Movement for the People (Gempar), Etami, said in his oration.
The fuel price hike will, no doubt, burden the low-income people because it will send the prices of basic commodities soaring, he affirmed.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
