Police out in force ahead of fuel price hike
Police out in force ahead of fuel price hike
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Anticipating protests about increased fuel prices in October, the
Jakarta Police are tightening security around government
buildings and public areas and are promising to get tough on
people stockpiling fuel.
City Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said during the
weekend that many groups were likely to express their
dissatisfaction through rallies when the government announced the
fuel price hike.
"The Jakarta Police are anticipating this. That's why we have
prepared personnel from police subprecincts, precincts and
headquarters," he said.
Students, had already expressed their objection to the fuel
price hike, he said, and two-thirds of the city police, or around
16,000 officers were on standby, he said.
Detectives and intelligence officers were also monitoring
certain groups they thought could become violent or unruly, he
said.
Firman said he had ordered South and Central Jakarta Police
chiefs to prepare contingency protection and evacuation plans as
there were many important buildings in both areas.
"They must come up with good maps and plans on how to contain
demonstrations. We predict that huge demonstrations will erupt in
both areas. Both chiefs should have anticipated the way out of
possibly chaotic conditions," he said.
Firman said that police would keep a close eye on rallies
outside the presidential palace, House of Representatives
buildings, and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, all in Central
Jakarta, as well as Pertamina's head office in Plumpang, North
Jakarta.
Vice President Yusuf Kalla said over the weekend that the fuel
price would be increased by up to 80 percent to ease the burden
of expensive subsidies on the state budget.
Firman said police had established teams to investigate many
reports of shortages in kerosene in several areas in Jakarta.
"We realize that prior to increasing the prices, many agents
will stockpile fuel so that they can sell it later when the price
is high," he said.
On Wednesday Jakarta Police announced that during a two-month
operation they had arrested 54 people for illegally hoarding a
total of 317,000 liters of fuel.
This include 2,000 liters of premium gasoline, 154,000 liters
of diesel, 73,000 liters of kerosene and 85,000 liters of other
forms of fuel.
Most suspects were arrested for holding, transporting, and
trading fuel without permits, while several gas station employees
were charged for tampering with meters.
Jakartans have recently complained about the increase of
kerosene prices to up to Rp 1,200 (US12 cents) a liter from Rp
800 several months ago. Both prices are higher than the
government-set Rp 700 a liter of kerosene for households.