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