Cancel telephone rate hikes!

Cancel telephone rate hikes!

From Merdeka

We are community members of Depok Perumnas housing complex and its surrounding areas, mostly civil servants and earners of modest incomes at private companies. We herewith call on the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly, which "voice the people's aspirations", to take action to have the telephone rate hikes canceled. If necessary, House members must see to the lowering of the rates in the same way they effected the lowering of the number of seats held by the Armed Forces in the two institutions.

The country's economy has been badly battered by the deep economic crisis. Prices of daily necessities are relatively high. The unemployment rate is increasing owing to layoffs. As a result, social unrest is occurring across the country. The telephone tariff hikes will only make life more burdensome for the majority of people.

Monthly telephone subscription fees have been raised along with the call rates. But there is no difference in the tariffs set for low-income or wealthy telephone subscribers.

Thus, what is the use of the government-sponsored community empowerment program to alleviate the impact of the economic crisis and the social safety net program? These programs need support from the majority of community members, who now have to face the bitter reality that their telephone tariffs have been raised.

HM KOSIM SUDJANA

Depok, West Java