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.