New year's gift from Megawati and Hamzah

New year's gift from Megawati and Hamzah

After New Year's Eve merry making, people must adapt to the reality they will have more problems with increases in electricity bills, fuel prices and telephone tariffs.

This is apparently the new year's gift from the Megawati Soekarnoputri-Hamzah Haz government to the people who have been living in the prolonged economic catastrophe for the last five years.

Before the increases, people were jolted by the LPG gas price increase in mid December.

The price of kerosene oil is said to remain at Rp700 per liter (from the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina). The reality is that the market price will be decided by the Ministry of Home Affairs, governors, mayors and regents - based on transportation expenses from Pertamina depots to the regions.

What concerns us is that the increases were simultaneously implemented. People had already been dizzied by the increasing prices of food and other basic commodities even before the latest increases.

All citizens, especially the poor, will suffer further.

-- Republika, Jakarta