Coalition seeks to challenge Mega, Hamzah
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite facing a serious charge of instigating nationwide antigovernment protests, politician Eros Djarot declared the establishment of the National Coalition on Wednesday with the aim of challenging the current regime, which he said had failed to be a government of the people.
The coalition urged the public to oppose government policies considered imperialistic and establish a new government through democratic means.
"We demand that the government reverse its decision on utility price hikes and stop intervention by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and other foreign financial institutions in the country's political and economic policies," Eros said when declaring the coalition.
"If Megawati and Hamzah Haz fail to heed our demands, we will declare their leadership a failure," Eros said as he read out the coalition's declaration.
Also attending the declaration were, among others, legislators Haryanto Taslam and Meilono Suwondo of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan); Dita Indah Sari of the National Front for the Struggle of Indonesian Workers (FNPBI) and Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI).
The coalition also condemned members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of Representatives (DPR) "for turning a deaf ear to the very people they claim to represent".
The government came under fire following its decision to increase fuel and utility prices on Jan. 1.
Bowing to public pressure, the government announced on Monday that it had decided to roll back fuel prices and offer discounts on electricity to business and industrial customers.
The announcement, however, failed to appease trade unions, student activists and non-governmental organizations who have been staging antigovernment protests since the price increases were introduced on Jan. 1.
Students and trade unions have vowed to continue their protests and shifted demands to include the ouster of Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz.
Instead of rectifying its mistake, the government pointed its finger at Eros, former Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto, National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker and former finance minister Fuad Bawazier and former cooperatives minister and incumbent chairman of the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) Adi Sasono as masterminds of nationwide antigovernment protests.
Both Eros and Adi Sasono have denied the allegation.