'I don't place much hope in our legislators'

'I don't place much hope in our legislators'

The government decision to raise fuel prices by an average of
29 percent early this month has divided members of the House
of Representatives. The dispute turned ugly last week
when House members supporting the policy got involved in a fight
with those opposing it. The Jakarta Post interviewed
residents here to get their comments on the incident.

Salam, 39, a freelance worker living in Kampung Sawah, Cipinang
Muara, East Jakarta.

Legislators fighting? It's nonsense to say that they were
defending the aspirations of the public. If they wanted our
demands to be heard, why would they fight? They could find better
ways to debate the issue without hurting each other.

They were just like kids fighting over an ice cream. From what
I see, they can never learn to behave maturely.

When we elected them last year, I thought they were smart
people who really understood the circumstances of the poor.
Obviously, I was wrong. No, I don't really know if I can count on
them or not.

I'm just an ordinary person. I work really hard to feed my
family. I don't place much hope in our legislators. There's
nothing I can do except accept the fuel price increases or
whatever other increases that are coming. It just means that I
have to work extra hard.

Soebagyo, 24, an accounting student attending the YAI University
in Salemba, Central Jakarta. He hails from Pekalongan, Central
Java and now lives with his foster parents in Kelapa Dua, West
Jakarta.

Hmmm ... let's see. The legislators were fighting for
something that is not going to happen (the rolling back of the
fuel price rises). They were just pretending to be outraged and
that's not the way to struggle for the people's interests.

Of course, we want the fuel price hike to be canceled, but I
think the legislators need to use a strategic and more refined
approach rather than violence.

They now have a great opportunity to really show their
capabilities. Don't let the bad habits of our previous
legislators affect the current legislators.

They will persistently have a bad image if they continue to
fight over the interests of the different factions. People
already have a stereotype that legislators only talk a lot and
don't actually do much. Well, I know that they are paid to work.