Political clout may hinge on gas price

Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An ojek (motorcycle) driver could not hide his disappointment with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) over its unexpected stance to endorse the government's policy of slashing fuel subsidies and thus jacking up fuel prices.

"I thought we were going for a better life with the PKS, but I was wrong," he said on Thursday, adding that he was prepared to join a planned rally against the fuel price increases likely to take effect on Saturday.

His friend was quick to boast of his choice of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), led by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, during the 2004 legislative election.

"Even if life was so-so during Megawati's tenure, we didn't have to endure fuel (price) rises twice a year," said the fellow ojek driver.

Late on Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted for fuel subsidy cuts and fuel price rises. Only the PDI-P faction opposed the plan, while others, including the PKS, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP), approved it.

The National Awakening Party (PKB) walked out and abstained from the vote, even though its chief patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur' Wahid had publicly voiced his opposition against the fuel price rises.

A number of PDI-P legislators even joined Thursday's mass rally against fuel price increases in Jakarta to amplify its opposition stance.

"The public can now see, through the vote, (where we stand on their interests)," said PDI-P secretary-general Pramono Anung, adding that the PDI-P's sustained rejection over the planned increases was due to the government's failure to offset the severe impact of the fuel price increases.

"The government could have asked for debt rescheduling or even cost-cutting measures to ease the burden on the state budget," said Pramono. The PDI-P was also against the first fuel price increase in March this year.

He acknowledged his party might be favorably perceived by the public in the long-run, but insisted that being the "darling of the public" was not enough reason to oppose the increases.

PKS leader Tifatul Sembiring admitted that his Islam-oriented party was not prepared to take such an unpopular stance, but said this was a bitter pill the public would have to swallow for a better future.

"The PKS is very aware of this unpopular stance. Honestly we're not prepared to take it, but we can no longer fool the public with cheap fuel, while global prices skyrocket," he argued.

Tifatul said endorsing the fuel price increases would arguably harm the PKS' public image, but quickly took a defensive position.

"We only have 7 percent of the total (550) seats in the House. Far bigger parties also endorsed the plan. If there's anyone whose image is ruined, it's the government," he assured.

PKB faction secretary Helmi Faishal said its abstention during Tuesday's vote was because his party understood the positive as well as the negative impacts of the fuel price increases.

"In this case, we don't see it as joining the PDI-P or not. Even if we had joined them, we would've lost anyway. But it's a more substantial matter," he said.

Political analyst Ikrar Nusa Bakti said the constellation of political parties had changed a lot, leaving the PDI-P as the only opposition, particularly as the Cabinet reshuffle was drawing near.

"The PKB's abstention was to play it safe and avoid anger from any of its constituents. The PKS must have engaged in political bargaining with the government so that it changed its stance from being an opposer to a supporter," he said.

On the PDI-P, Ikrar said the party's opposition could be a strategy to build its popularity for the 2009 elections, particularly as it continued to critically assess the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono government's performance.