'Fight fuel smuggling and hoarding'

'Fight fuel smuggling and hoarding'

The steady increase in fuel prices has prompted some experts to
call for the scrapping of the fuel subsidy. The Jakarta Post
interviewed a number of residents to obtain their views on the
debate over the merits of the subsidy.

Tiara Aryanto, 28, is an IT consultant at a bank. She lives in
Central Jakarta:

I agree with cutting the fuel subsidy because citizens should
be able to be self-supporting.

But this option can only be applied under one condition: The
government must be able to fight fuel smuggling and fuel
hoarding.

Newspapers reported that the authorities had captured people
involved in fuel theft. Unfortunately, they were only small
groups whereas the big mafia are still out there.

I think that state oil and gas company Pertamina should be
able to put its own house in order first. Don't let the big mafia
be if Pertamina knows who they are.

Speaking about people in the low-income groups, I'm sure that
the government is smart enough to come up with bright ideas to
help them. For example, if the fund from the Subdistrict
Community Empowerment Program is well-managed, I think people in
the lower-income bracket can fulfill their needs.

Alia An-Nadiva, 23, is a reporter with Nyata weekly in
Kebayoran Lama. She lives in Salemba, Central Jakarta:

I'll give my support if the government no longer subsidizes
fuel, which is too cheap compared with other countries.

I just think that the government is not doing the right thing
by spoiling the rich people with cheap fuel and by opening the
opportunity for fuel smuggling.

However, the government must make the people understand why it
has to cut the fuel subsidy. I also think that the government
must do it gradually, if we don't want to trigger mass protests.

Maybe they can start with reducing the amount of money
allocated for the fuel subsidy, like they did in March, so people
won't be shocked.

It would be better if the Government also prepared some
countermeasures that can be taken if the cut in the subsidy
sparked upheaval.

-- The Jakarta Post