Children take a hike after price increase

Children take a hike after price increase

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has allocated a total of Rp 17.8 trillion (US$1.8
billion) to lessen the impact of the recent fuel price hike on
the city's poor.

However, the fuel price hike has also affected people in the
low-income bracket, who are not classified as poor.

Endang Lesmana, 49, a security officer living in a five meter
by four meter house in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, with his
wife, three children and daughter-in-law said on Tuesday the fuel
price increase had come as a great blow to his household.

"Even before the fuel price hike, my monthly income was barely
enough," said Endang, who works for a private company on Jl.
Matraman Raya, Central Jakarta.

Endang receives a monthly salary of Rp 700,000 but makes an
additional Rp 200,000 a month doing casual jobs.

He said the fuel price hike meant his family would have to do
without some things as transportation fares and staple food
prices had increased, while his salary had remained the same.

According to him, before the transportation fare increase, he
spent around Rp 5,000 on transportation to reach his office, but
now spends around 6,500 per day.

He said his wife had complained that retailers had already
increased prices. "I just told her to spend what she has wisely
as I cannot increase our budget for food," he said.

The government raised fuel prices by an average of 29 percent
on Mar. 1, but plans to finance a number of programs,
particularly free education, health care and subsidized rice for
the poor.

Students, politicians and non-governmental organizations have
been among those opposed to the government's decision.

Endang said that both his children have to walk
one-and-a-half kilometers to school as he cannot afford to
provide them with bus money.

He said that while the fuel price hike had made things harder
for him he did not expect to be eligible for any welfare
benefits.

"I know that there are still many people whose situation is
worse than mine. There are many jobless people who need help.
Meanwhile, I have a permanent income although I must spend it
carefully," he said.

He said Suparti, 40, his wife, sold nasi uduk (rice cooked in
coconut milk) at their house from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. to earn extra
money.

"But I cannot rely on that money as she only gets about 10
customers per day," he said.

In middle age, Endang, who dropped out of junior high school,
has two main ambitions.

First, he wants his children to finish senior high school, and
second, he wants to own a house.

However, Endang confesses that he has no money saved, and that
dream seems a long way off.