JAKARTA. More than 5,000 workers from industrial areas in and around Jakarta staged a mass demonstration at the front gates of the legislative compound, demanding the House of Representatives (DPR) turn down the government’s plan to increase fuel and electricity prices in April and May respectively.

Protesters from the Confederation of All-Indonesian Workers Union (KSPSI), Confederation of Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (KSBSI), Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union (KSPI), Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers Union (FPSMI), Indonesian Workers Organization (OPSI) and Joint Indonesian Workers Secretariat (Sekber Pekerja Indonesia) decried the planned fuel price hikes that would certainly affect their economic livelihood.

“One command, one resistance. Lawmakers must reject the proposed fuel price hike,” they shouted.

Hundreds of riot police, eight water cannons and four fire trucks stood by in case chaos broke out, while hundreds of armed military personnel were deployed inside halls and a mosque in the compound.

KSPSI Chairman Said Iqbal said in a forum the workers’ presence was part of mass demonstrations, which involved tens of thousands of workers in big cities throughout the country, with one aim – the rejection of the fuel and electricity price hikes.

“We come here to urge the House to reject the government’s proposal of increasing the fuel prices on April 1 and the power tariff price on May 1. We come here to give moral support for lawmakers to channel the people’s opposition to the planned fuel price increases. We are here to back up lawmakers from the PDI-P, Golkar, PKS, Gerindra and Hanura to channel our aspirations,” he said.

He called on lawmakers to no longer remain loyal to their own political parties, which he said have been inattentive to the real conditions people face at the grass-roots level. “Lawmakers should fight for a ‘one man, one vote’ mechanism in the planned vote for the proposed revision of the 2012 state budget law.”

Newly-elected Chairman of KSPSI Andi Ghani Nuwa Wea called on lawmakers to listen to the people’s aspirations, and asked the government and security authorities not blame workers if the national demonstrations turned violent.

The protesters said they would stay put at the gates of the DPR until the House ultimately opposed the fuel price hike plan in the upcoming vote.

“We will perform the Friday prayers on Jl. Gatot Subroto and stay at the scene until dawn on Saturday. The House has no choice but to turn down the planned fuel price hike,” he said. (Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post)

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