Prix du fuel : affrontements à Jakarta – 13 mars 2012

PDI-P Lawmakers, University Students Protest Against Plan to Cut Subsidy Bill

thejakartaglobe.com

14 03 2012

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Vento Saudale & Hangga Brata | March 14, 2012

As protests continued to intensify nationwide against the plan to increase fuel prices, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle announced on Tuesday that it would boycott all legislative meetings discussing it.

The government plans to increase the subsidized fuel price from Rp 4,500 to Rp 6,000 (49 cents to 65 cents) but needs the House of Representatives to approve the move as part of the revised state budget.

Megawati Sukarnoputri, chairwoman of the party known as the PDI-P, said she had ordered members to reject the plan.

“For the time being, there will be no fuel price hike and that’s the direction I gave,” Megawati said at the House building in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. “We base our rejection on a very rational consideration. Our representatives will explain it during the House of Representatives plenary meeting.”

The opposition party has 94 seats in the 550-member legislature, not enough to derail the plan if the eight other parties in the House support it. Read more...