Telephone kiosks suspend service in Pekanbaru

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Telephone kiosk operators in Pekanbaru, Riau have suspended their services, while fishermen in Makassar, South Sulawesi have stopped fishing following the government's decision to increase telephone charges and to remove the fuel subsidy.

Yanti, one of telephone kiosk operators in Pekanbaru, told Antara on Saturday that most telephone providers had temporarily closed their outlets to avoid losses after the government increased telephone rates on the first day of 2003.

She said she would ask a mechanic to adjust the counter with the new rate before reopening her kiosk.

"If we apply the old rate, we will only incur a loss," Yanti was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.

Another telephone kiosk operator, Sarmi, said on Saturday that she had closed services in the last few days while waiting for a mechanic to adjust her billing counter.

Sarmi converted her home phone line into a public telephone to help augment her family income. She installed a counter to know how much money her consumers should pay for the service. Many residents in her neighborhood did the same thing.

"I have been calling up the technician to reset my counters but they have not come yet," Sarmi said.

Meanwhile, fishermen in Makassar have stopped fishing and started joining street protests against the government's decision to remove the fuel subsidy which until recently kept the commodity's price low.

Hundreds of fishermen residing along the coastal area in the municipality of Makassar and in Pangkep regency protested against the price hike.

Nawawi, a fishermen in Paotere, Makassar, said on Saturday that the increase in diesel fuel had multiplied operational costs.

"We have agreed to stage rallies against the fuel price hike. The price hike places more burden on the people," Nawawi was quoted by Antara as saying.

He said most fishermen would stop fishing and seek work as construction workers or pedicab drivers if the government did not annul its decision.

Fishermen in Jakarta and along the northern coast of Java have also stopped fishing due to fuel price hike.

The government increased telephone and electricity charges and removed the fuel subsidy, with the exception of household kerosene, on Jan. 1 in order to finance the country's budget and reduce deficit.

Students and labor activists, however, have staged protests almost daily to demand that the government annul its decision, arguing that it was too burdensome for low-income earners.

The government, however, maintains that such increases are part of its efforts to reduce its dependence on the International Monetary Fund.

Head of PT Telkom public relations division in Pekanbaru Junaidi said on Saturday that he did not know the number of telephone kiosks in Pekanbaru.

"We don't know the number because the owners of telephone kiosks do not register at the office unlike telecommunication stalls or wartel," he added.