PDI-P to oppose fuel, electricity rate hikes<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) said on Wednesday it would oppose plans to raise fuel
\nprices and electricity tariffs while allegations of corruption in
\nthe two sectors went uninvestigated.<\/p>\n
Legislator Postdam Hutasoit said it was unfair to further
\nraise prices while no one was being legally held accountable for
\nfinancial leakages in the mining and energy sectors, especially
\nin state-owned companies Pertamina and PLN.<\/p>\n
\"Our faction (at the House of Representatives) has decided to
\noppose the planned hike in the fuel prices and electricity tariff
\nbecause it will overburden the people,\" he said after the
\nfaction's closed-door meeting here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The government recently revealed plans to end fuel and
\nelectricity subsidies in April in an endeavor to cut down on
\nspending.<\/p>\n
House Speaker and Golkar Party chief Akbar Tandjung also said
\nhis faction would oppose the planned hike as the current economic
\ncondition was not conducive for such a policy.<\/p>\n
Postdam said his faction had already received numerous
\nprotests against the planned hike.<\/p>\n
\"How dare the government plan such a hike amidst the crises?
\nMost people will certainly express their objections to the
\nplanned hike because they won't pay higher fuel prices and
\nelectricity expenses while there are such leakages,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
He charged that Pertamina suffered hundreds of millions of
\nU.S. dollars in financial loses from leakages and markedup
\nprojects in the past, but no official has been brought to court.<\/p>\n
\"The people and our faction will not raise objections to the
\ngovernment's plan if corruption cases in the two state-owned
\ncompanies are investigated thoroughly,\" he said, while lamenting
\nthat an all-out battle against corruption and collusion has yet
\nto start.<\/p>\n
\"So far, corruption and collusion cases involving former
\npresident Soeharto's children and his cronies in the two sectors
\nare still untouchable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, from the PDI
\nPerjuangan faction, also said the faction would stress the need
\non getting to the bottom of various high-profile corruption cases
\nsuch as the Bank Bali and Texmaco scandal.<\/p>\n
\"The House's special committee on Bank Bali is formulating
\nrecommendations for the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, Postdam, who is also a member of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly's Ad Hoc Committee
\ndeliberating draft decrees, said PDI Perjuangan will prioritize
\nto fellow Assembly members the need for an Assembly decree on
\nnational reconciliation to minimize the threat of disintegration.<\/p>\n
\"Our faction has proposed a draft decree on national
\nreconciliation to be endorsed in the Assembly's General Session
\nin August.<\/p>\n
\"National reconciliation is urgently needed to end conflicts
\nlinked to race, religion and societal groupings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the draft decree, which contains a recognition of
\nraces, religions and cultures, was aimed at creating peaceful
\nconditions, a sense of tolerance among the people and at fighting
\ndiscrimination. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdi-p-to-oppose-fuel-electricity-rate-hikes-1447893297",
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