Whither is justice

Whither is justice for ordinary people

From Kompas

The increase in fuel prices, and electricity and telephone charges have no direct impact on the poor people, who have no motorized vehicles. However, the impact of the price increases -- soaring prices of daily necessities, will hit them hard.

Also, the 17 percent hike in the fares of economy class trains has seriously burdened the low-income bracket people, who cannot afford to travel by ship, bus or, of course, plane. They will the ones who are suffering.

The rise in telephone toll road charges will only send the prices of commodities even higher.

Clearly, it is not the upper and middle social classes that will suffer the impact of these price increases. It is the ordinary people on the lowest rung of the social ladder that will be hardest hit by these price hikes.

It is ironical that those siphoning off state funds through the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support loan scheme -- trillions of rupiah in amount -- have been granted release and discharge and therefore are now exempted from criminal charges.

Very clearly, therefore, justice is only a dream of the ordinary people, especially given the fact that the assets that BLBI debtors have surrendered to the government are much lower in value than their debts.

Finally, it is the ordinary people that will have to cover this shortfall.

TAUFIK KARMADI

Jakarta