Don't up prices at will!

Don't up prices at will!

From Neraca

The government has announced that it will not increase pay rates for civil servants, Armed Forces members and retired personnel. But many traders have started increasing commodity prices, saying it is due to the monetary crisis.

As the wife of a government official with a fixed salary, I am worried about commodity prices increasing without controls.

It makes sense if the increases hit imported goods. But now prices of all goods from the nine staple foodstuffs to luxurious items have doubled.

Our purchasing power, which was relatively weak in 1997, will further weaken in 1998 in these conditions. If in the past we were able to save, I think it will be impossible to do the same this year.

Savings are meant to guard against contingencies like sickness.

Our suffering will be more acute if public transport operators raise bus fares. It will make us increasingly powerless.

I therefore appeal to all sides not to arbitrarily make decisions on things of interest to the general public.

I know that traders and transport operators are having a hard time too. But if, in this difficult time, we act arbitrarily, all people will bear the burden.

With their purchasing power weakened, consumers will become weaker if traders increase their prices arbitrarily.

SONI M.

Jakarta