House to summon minister over fuel price increases
House to summon minister over fuel price increases
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) will summon
Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto over the
government's decision to increase fuel and electricity prices.
House Speaker Harmoko said after a special House leadership
meeting yesterday that Kuntoro must explain why the government
"ignored" an earlier House suggestion not to be too hasty to
increase fuel and electricity prices.
"All House factions had told the minister of mines and energy
to carefully consider the timing for the regulation of new fuel
and electricity prices," he claimed.
"But all of a sudden the new price of fuel and electricity was
announced by the minister," he added.
Harmoko said the hearing with the minister would be arranged
by House Commission V on industry, mining, trade, manpower,
cooperatives and the environment.
Deputy House Speaker of the Golkar faction, Abdul Gafur, said
the previous House meeting with the minister was held a few days
before Monday's restart of House sessions.
The government announced Monday fuel price increases of
between 25 percent and 71.43 percent and electricity tariff
increases of 20 percent.
Kuntoro claimed that the government had no choice but to
increase the prices after its decision to reduce subsidies and
curb the state budget deficit.
Yesterday's leadership meeting involved House leaders and
leading figures of the four House factions -- Golkar, the United
Development Party (PPP), the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
and the Armed Forces (ABRI).
The government's decision to increase fuel and electricity
prices was also strongly criticized by ousted PDI leader Megawati
Soekarnoputri.
"The government should not have burdened the people, who are
already deeply affected by the prolonged economic crisis, with
more troubles caused by an increase in fuel and electricity
prices," she said in a media statement yesterday.
She charged that only a small group of people were responsible
for the country's dire economic situation, but now all people had
to suffer.
"Colluding, corrupt and nepotistic government officials,
cartels and huge debtors must bear the responsibility. Not all of
the people," she said.
She said the government should have forced the huge loan
debtors and cartels, who have enjoyed monopolistic facilities
from the government, to sell all of their assets to help repay
their debts.
Megawati said that such "injustices" would, in the long term,
jeopardize the government's image in the eyes of the people.
"The government has already lost the trust of foreign donors,"
she maintained.
Megawati also called on the government not to turn to
repressive measures when responding to public expressions of
concern over the crisis.
"The people who try to express their misery should not be
contained with unsympathetic threats or any kind of pressure,"
she said. (imn)