Govt warned against 'social revolution'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Alliance for New Indonesia (PIB) Sjahrir warned
\non Monday of possible \"social revolution\" if the government
\nfailed to immediately address various economic and political
\nproblems gripping the country.<\/p>\n
PIB is a grouping of noted economists and political analysts.<\/p>\n
Sjahrir said that so far the government had no clear formula
\nfor resolving the multi-dimensional problems.<\/p>\n
\"Should this continue, I predict Indonesia will be headed
\ntoward another social revolution,\" Sjahrir said in his closing
\nspeech at a PIB-initiated discussion gathering on Monday.<\/p>\n
He stated that the government's decision to extend the
\nrepayment period for debts owed by former bank owners to the
\ngovernment was but one example of its poor policies.<\/p>\n
He also said that a further delay in the fuel price hike plan
\nwas a reflection of the government's lack of comprehensive
\napproach to handling the current problems.<\/p>\n
The government previously reported it would increase fuel
\nprices on Jan. 1, in line with its commitment to reduce fuel
\nsubsidies and, at the same time, ease pressure on the state
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
Up to now, however, the government had yet to put its decision
\ninto effect for reasons that remained unclear, a situation,
\nSjahrir said, that had given the fuel black market more
\nopportunity to flourish.<\/p>\n
But, Sjahrir believed the fuel black market only reflected a
\nsmall part of the real problems the country was facing, both on
\nthe economic and political fronts.<\/p>\n
\"Aside from the fuel black market, other black markets also
\nare also present at Indonesia, such as the black market of
\njustice and the black market of power politics,\" he said.<\/p>\n
By the black market of justice he meant distortions in the
\nsense of justice for the public. The public sense of justice had
\nlong been left out in the making of some, if not all, policies,
\nhe added.<\/p>\n
\"Look at all the fuss about the extension of the debt
\nsettlement program, there is no justice in it.<\/p>\n
\"While, at the same time, the taxpayers have to eventually
\nbear the brunt of the debt interest payments, those companies
\nunder the deal are being freed from paying taxes and interest on
\ntheir debts.\"<\/p>\n
The black market of power politics included all the political
\ntugs-of-war within the government to protect its own interests,
\nwithout calculating all the consequences.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-warned-against-social-revolution-1447893297",
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