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Rallies take place in major cities to oppose fuel price hike
People rallied in the country’s biggest cities on Tuesday, demanding the government reverse its decision to raise subsidized fuel prices, which might hurt low-income households.
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Members of labor organizations protest against the government’s decision to increase subsidized fuel prices, outside the House of Representatives building in Jakarta on Sept. 6. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)
P
eople rallied in the country’s biggest cities on Tuesday, demanding the government reverse its decision to raise subsidized fuel prices as they claimed the price hike would hurt low-income households.
In Jakarta, the protests were concentrated in front of the House of Representatives building, spearheaded by several labor organizations and the Labor Party, which was founded last year by prominent labor union leader Said Iqbal and which has registered to field candidates for the 2024 general election.
In front of hundreds of workers, Said Iqbal said that labor unions would continue to hold nationwide protests until the end of the year if the government did not revoke its decision, which came amid rising food costs and with the economy still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s clear that the government did not consider [the impact of subsidized fuel price increases] on farmers, fishermen and workers,” he said, adding that Tuesday’s rallies also took place in around 20 other provinces.
He predicted that the price increases would hit workers disproportionately, particularly factory workers, who had not received salary increases for the past three years. He also feared that mass layoffs would follow as industrial energy prices would increase.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's administration said it had no choice but to cut fuel subsidies of Pertalite gasoline and Solar diesel brands on Saturday to rein in ballooning energy subsidies despite the risk of mass protests.
Subsidized fuel prices are a sensitive issue in the country and have traditionally spelled trouble for Indonesia’s presidents.
