Fuel compensation disbursement begins as protests continue<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nBandung\/Jambi\/Ambon\/Kupang\/Batam\/Yogyakarta\/Surakarta<\/p>\n
Thousands of public transportation drivers nationwide went on
\nstrike on Saturday as top government officials were deployed
\nacross the country to oversee the disbursement of fuel
\ncompensation funds.<\/p>\n
The strike, is response to the steep fuel price increases
\nannounced by the government on Friday night, has left many
\npassengers in limbo with hundreds of thousands of workers in
\nBatam, Riau Islands province force to walk many kilometers to
\ntheir work places. Due to the absence of public transportation,
\nmany farmers in Cirebon, West Java could not transport their
\nagricultural produce to markets while thousands of school
\nstudents were left stranded. In order to cushion the impact of
\nthe strikes, the government and local military commands swiftly
\nemployed trucks and buses to carry the passengers to their
\nrespective destinations.<\/p>\n
While the strike had been widespread, Minister of
\nTransportation Hatta Radjasa urged regional governments to
\nincrease official transportation fares quickly to adjust to the
\nnew price of fuel. The measure is expected to end the strike that
\nhas crippled economic and social activity in the regions.<\/p>\n
As of Saturday, student protests against the fuel price hike
\nwere still taking place in several places across the archipelago
\nalthough it was clear that they were losing steam. Though small
\nin number, student protesters had become increasingly violent. In
\nPontianak, West Kalimantan, dozens of students hurled eggs into
\nWest Kalimantan Governor's residence as they expressed their
\nanger at the government's decision to increased fuel prices by an
\naverage 126.6 percent.<\/p>\n
In contrast to the lively student protests, many gas stations
\nacross the nation were deserted with only a few motorists buying
\nfuel. The situation was in contrast to the situation on Friday
\nnight when thousands of motorists nationwide packed gas stations
\nto fill their tanks before the price of fuel shot up.<\/p>\n
While long queues at gas stations are no longer seen, people
\nwere instead seen forming lines in many post offices across the
\narchipelago. In Surabaya, thousands of poor people in Surabaya
\nformed long queues starting from 7 a.m to obtain fuel
\ncompensation cards issued by the government. Every poor family
\nwill receive Rp 300,000 (US$30) each quarter until next year.<\/p>\n
The fuel compensation disbursement on Saturday nationwide was
\noverseen by top government officials, including President Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla. Susilo and
\nKalla inspected disbursements of fuel compensation funds in South
\nBogor and the Cilincing area in North Jakarta while other Cabinet
\nministers flew to other cities across the archipelago to ensure
\nthe disbursement went smoothly. The disbursement was aimed at
\ncushioning the impact of fuel price hikes on the poor.<\/p>\n
The residents praised the disbursement process for being easy,
\nquick and simple. Rosmidah, a resident in Kalideres subdistrict,
\nWest Jakarta said she only needed to show her fuel compensation
\ncard before she obtained the money. Despite the smooth
\ndistribution of money, mistakes occurred in Yogyakarta where many
\npeople had mistakenly read the disbursement schedules. As a
\nresult, many had to go home empty handed.<\/p>\n
The disbursement of fuel compensation funds was held in 15
\nmajor cities across the country, while for the remaining cities
\nand regencies nationwide funds will disbursed on Oct. 5 and 11.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
\nchairwoman of former ruling party the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) reiterated her opposition to the
\nfuel price increases, saying it was a burden on the people. The
\nparty's secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said at a party
\nfunction in Surakarta, Central Java, that the party would
\ncontinue to fight in the parliament until the fuel price increase
\ndecision was rescinded.<\/p>",
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