House to summon ministers over price increase<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives will summon ministers on Wednesday
\nto explain its unpopular decision to raise fuel prices,
\nelectricity and telephone charges as nationwide protests mount
\nagainst the hikes, its speaker said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The House had approved the utility increases last year, and
\nappears now to be backing down following the public protests.<\/p>\n
This comes in an apparent move by legislators to court public
\nsupport ahead of the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
Analysts have said legislators were trying to shift the blame
\nby summoning government ministers.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a meeting with House faction leaders, House
\nSpeaker Akbar Tandjung said the legislature would summon at least
\nsix ministers to offer an explanation about the much-criticized
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
\"The House wants a thorough explanation about why the
\nincreases were announced simultaneously and is considering the
\npossibility of postponing the implementation of the decision,\" he
\ntold journalists.<\/p>\n
Akbar said that among the ministers to be quizzed were
\nCoordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf
\nKalla and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun
\nKuntjoro Jakti.<\/p>\n
The summons would prove that the House had not turned a deaf
\near to public resentment over the utility charges increase, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Akbar, however, could not say what the House would do if the
\ngovernment failed to give a reasonable account.<\/p>\n
\"The increase in utility rates was approved by the House. But
\nits implementation is in the hands of the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Akbar said that before questioning the ministers on Wednesday,
\nhe would hold a meeting with leaders of several House commissions
\none day earlier to prepare the questions.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting with Commission IV on transportation, Commission
\nVIII on mining, and Commission IX on finance, as well as the
\nHouse committee on state budget is to determine the House's
\nstance towards the government's decision,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Akbar added that the meeting with the ministers was also aimed
\nat ensuring that the government was fully accountable for the Rp
\n4.4 trillion allocated to compensate the poor for the price
\nhikes.<\/p>\n
\"The government has yet to give its report on the first
\ncompensation programs worth more than Rp 3 trillion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In response to the summons, Minister Susilo said that the
\nrecent Cabinet meeting decided that the government was ready to
\nprovide an adequate explanation about the price rises.<\/p>\n
Mounting protests starting last week have exerted pressure on
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration to reverse the
\nincreases.<\/p>\n
Most people, in particular low-income earners, are complaining
\nthat the increases have increased their suffering amid the
\nprolonged crisis.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-to-summon-ministers-over-price-increase-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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