House to summon ministers over price increase

M. Taufiqurrahman and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives will summon ministers on Wednesday to explain its unpopular decision to raise fuel prices, electricity and telephone charges as nationwide protests mount against the hikes, its speaker said on Friday.

The House had approved the utility increases last year, and appears now to be backing down following the public protests.

This comes in an apparent move by legislators to court public support ahead of the 2004 elections.

Analysts have said legislators were trying to shift the blame by summoning government ministers.

Speaking after a meeting with House faction leaders, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said the legislature would summon at least six ministers to offer an explanation about the much-criticized decision.

"The House wants a thorough explanation about why the increases were announced simultaneously and is considering the possibility of postponing the implementation of the decision," he told journalists.

Akbar said that among the ministers to be quizzed were Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf Kalla and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Jakti.

The summons would prove that the House had not turned a deaf ear to public resentment over the utility charges increase, he said.

Akbar, however, could not say what the House would do if the government failed to give a reasonable account.

"The increase in utility rates was approved by the House. But its implementation is in the hands of the government," he said.

Akbar said that before questioning the ministers on Wednesday, he would hold a meeting with leaders of several House commissions one day earlier to prepare the questions.

"The meeting with Commission IV on transportation, Commission VIII on mining, and Commission IX on finance, as well as the House committee on state budget is to determine the House's stance towards the government's decision," he said.

Akbar added that the meeting with the ministers was also aimed at ensuring that the government was fully accountable for the Rp 4.4 trillion allocated to compensate the poor for the price hikes.

"The government has yet to give its report on the first compensation programs worth more than Rp 3 trillion," he said.

In response to the summons, Minister Susilo said that the recent Cabinet meeting decided that the government was ready to provide an adequate explanation about the price rises.

Mounting protests starting last week have exerted pressure on President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration to reverse the increases.

Most people, in particular low-income earners, are complaining that the increases have increased their suffering amid the prolonged crisis.