Sense of justice and the fuel price increase
Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post
A housewife complained to a goldfish trader in East Jakarta on Wednesday morning, as he had raised the price of his fish from Rp 9,000 to Rp 12,000 within two days. The trader cited the price of fuel as the reason for the hike.
"But a minister said on TV the impact of the fuel oil increase is only slight," the woman tried to bargain.
"Why don't you buy the fish from your minister," the seller laughed.
Citing their personal experiences, women living in low-cost apartments near the market insisted that prices rise significantly every time the price of fuel goes up. Just like prices during Ramadhan or Christmas, they rarely return to their previous level after the festivities. The apartment residents doubted the price hike after the new fuel policy was merely a "panicky" market reaction.
The government's decision to raise fuel prices by an average of 29 percent was based on strong rationale. While the price of oil recently topped US$50 per barrel, without the fuel hike, and assuming an oil price of $35 per barrel, it would have to spend up to Rp 60.1 trillion (US$6.4 billion) on fuel subsidies.
The government was also aware that the policy would be difficult for the nation -- which has for decades had such a massive fuel subsidy -- to accept. It has pledged to allocate Rp 17.8 trillion to provide scholarships, cheap rice, health services and other programs to help the poor. However, pending a miracle, and judging from past experiences, hopes that the programs will be free from corruption are slim.
The social-safety-net programs alone are not enough to compensate for the bitter pills that people must swallow (and as there are no direct curative effects, it is just bitter candy).
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration has anticipated social unrest, but has no doubt forgotten -- or is it just incapable of -- providing that hungrily awaited form of compensation: Justice.
Where are the big fish (corruptors) that the government promised to catch when Susilo assumed his presidency in October of last year? Corruptors are as free as before. But who cares what the people think?
The President responded,"I don't care," when told that his popularity had dropped because of the poor progress achieved by the government in its first 100 days of rule.
The minister of finance also said, "I don't care," in reaction to the findings of the International Transparency Indonesia that the customs and tax offices are among the most corrupt institutions in the country. The two offices are under his ministry.
Bank Indonesia shut down the corruption-ridden Bank Asiatic and Bank Dagang Bali last year, and then Bank Global in January. For the two previous banks, the central bank has to repay around Rp 2.3 trillion to the depositors as a part of the blanket- guarantee scheme. But will the government punish those who are guilty of embezzlement?
Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh was outraged when a legislator described him as "an ustad (Islamic preacher) in a village of thieves." He said he was not an ustad, and senior officials at his office were angered at being branded "thieves".
Instead of an emotional reaction, it would be appreciated if the attorney general read out a list of embezzlers jailed since he headed the office. He could also present evidence that his people are not embezzlers of state money. But does he have such a list?
The President does not need to repeat the rationale behind his decision to raise fuel prices. He uses very interesting body language while delivering speeches and often uses English terms. But it is not enough.
"Tonight the Attorney General has detained three mega corruptors. I swear that they will be punished severely (at least compared to chicken thieves). I will surrender my position to the Vice President when the court does not punish them as I have promised," people are ready to hear such a statement from him within days.
Most people would not be convinced by his promise, but they might be thankful for his effort at a time when they have to pay more for nearly everything.
The President fully understands people's hunger and thirst for justice. This time he is not expected to say,"I don't care."