Workers, students protest fuel hike

TANGERANG: Hundreds of workers and students staged on Wednesday a joint rally at the Tangerang Municipal Council to protest the central government's plan to increase fuel prices as well as to demand a Rp 735,000 minimum wage for 2005.

Mikad, a student at Tangerang Syeh Yusuf University (Unis), said people across the country should oppose the fuel hike.

"We have been living in such poverty since the monetary crisis in 1997. By increasing fuel prices again, the government is being cruel to the people," he said, adding that there was no reason for the government to raise fuel prices.

Meanwhile, Ngadinah, coordinator of the Confederation of Independent Labor Unions (GSBI) said 93 percent of the country's workers were still living below the poverty line and that increasing fuel prices would greatly affect them.

She also claimed that Tangerang's 2005 minimum wage for workers of Rp 693,000 was no longer adequate, as it did not meet the minimum living cost. Although the GSBI was demanding a rise to Rp 735,000, she said this was still inadequate. --JP