Rector forum offers government a win-win solution
Rector forum offers government a win-win solution
Zakki Hakim and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Any government decision to ignore public protests over
increases in fuel, electricity and telephone charges would spark
further unrest, which would be far more costly than the money
saved by cutting subsidies, the Rector Forum concluded Friday.
Speaking after a meeting in Trisakti University here, the
forum chairman, Zulkifli Husin, urged the government to listen to
the people.
"The rectors understand that there is a deficit in the state
budget, but the timing is incorrect for the government to cut
subsidies in order to close the deficit," Zulkifli said.
Trisakti University rector Thoby Mutis said the government had
failed to calculate the public resistance and did not seem to be
trying to win their hearts.
After almost two weeks of nationwide protests, the government
agreed to delay increasing telephone rates. The electricity and
fuel price rises were being reassessed.
Zulkifli said the rectors and academics were ready to assist
the government at any time to find solutions to the problems.
He said the government should quickly take measures to stop
the escalating social unrest.
"We should cure the disease as soon as possible. Don't wait
until it goes deeper into our body."
Regarding accusations that the student movements were
infiltrated by vested interests, the rectors said the government
should not jump to conclusions.
"The students are just playing their roles as a social control
agent. It is natural for the students to voice people's demands.
Don't use an intelligence perspective on them," said Thoby, who
hosted the press conference.
Separately, a coalition of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) has filed a judicial review with the Supreme Court against
the price hikes.
They claimed the government policy had violated a number of
laws, including the amended 1945 Constitution, the Law on
National Development Program and the Law on the 2003 State
Budget.
Among the plaintiffs are the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH
Jakarta), the Indonesian Legal Aid Association (PBHI) and the
Commission on Missing People and Victims of Violence (Kontras).
"We filed a judicial review suit against fuel price increase
on Friday, but the judicial review against increases in power
charges was filed on Wednesday," LBH Jakarta deputy director
Surya Tjandra said Friday.
The Law on the 2003 State Budget sets fuel prices at Rp 1,500
per liter, but the government has increased it to Rp 1,850.
The coalition also plans to file a judicial review against the
Law on State Debt.