President Urged To Evaluate Performance Of His Aide In Charge Of Fuel Oil Affairs

In view of the government’s plan to increase domestic fuel oil prices,  President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been urged to evaluate the performance of his minister in charge of handling fuel oil on account of  the latter’s failure.

Mutammimul Ula, a member of the House’s Commission I of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction, said here on Monday that  the head of state had to focus on  the evaluation of  his Energy and Mineral Resource Minister. “If necessary, he should be replaced, as the planned increase of fuel oil prices is  a reflection of the failure in the  implementation of policies on energy and mineral resources development,” he said, adding that this stance was  the first political statement in entering the fourth session of  the House PKS faction after enjoying a recess since April 10, 2008.

The failure in managing energy and mineral resources has come up as the main factor which eventually led to a decision to raise fuel oil prices. In fact, the issue on energy has emerged in this country and in international world with all kinds of challenges, he said.

In this context, the PKS faction said that Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro left  an impression that he was unable to make an effective policy of  handling this unfavourable condition.  “Again I stress that it will  be the vast majority of the people who will become the victim of the  fuel oil price hikes which are going to be used as the only way to solve the energy problems,” he said.

Pertamina’s efficiency

Imam Anshori Saleh, member of the National Awakening Party faction  in the House of Representatives (DPR),  rejected the government’s plan to increase the prices of fuel oil.  Speaking on behalf of his colleagues in the House, he proposed an improvement in the efficiency of state oil company PT. Pertamina rather than raising fuel oil prices.

He also agreed to an evaluation of the president’s suggestion to the  minister handling the energy affairs which eventually prompted the government to take such unpopular step of raising  fuel oil price.  “Furthermore,  we strongly reject the government’s plan to increase the prices of fuel oil which will only increase the suffering of the  people,” he noted, adding however that  the bad impact of  fuel price hikes would be much stronger than the  benefits to be gained by the government.

Actually there are many other options the government could choose, including improving the efficiency of Pertamina, boosting oil production and make retrenchment programs in all sectors.  “Just apply the option one by one before taking such  unpopular decision which increase the suffering of the people,” Anshori said.

Sharing the view of Anshori and Mutammimul, Yuddy Chrisnandi, a member of the House Golkar party fction said  that legislators who let such unpopular decision of the governmentwere regarded as lacking in conscience.  “For us, the decision to increase the prices of fuel oil should be a last resort and not at the present time,” he said.

Yuddy said his faction rejected the plan to increase fuel oil prices, as the decision was  a reflection of the government’s laziness to find another solution but  take a short cut  by increasing the price of fuel oil.

The rejection was voiced by Chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle faction in the House Tjahjo Kumolo who asked the government to be wiser in raising the prices of fuel oil by taking into account the people’s already heavy burden in their daily life. “For us, reducing fuel oil subsidy in stages is quite understandable. But if the step is to be taken at present, it means that the government under the leadership of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is not wise enough. Many other options could be taken,” he said. 

Responding to many public rejection to the fuel oil price hikes, it was a reality of the people’s daily life which has become a brunt of the burden following  continuous rising prices of daily needs prior to the announcement of fuel oil price hikes.  “The constantly rising prices of commodities  has prompted  the people’s outcry  because of their heavy burden,” he said.

Based on reality in the field, Tjahyo reiterated that his faction would be consistently rejecting the government’s policy to increase fuel oil prices and submitted some concrete proposals as a solution.

One of the proposals was the reallocation of  Rp79 trillion for poverty eradication, he said, admitting that the policy on poverty eradication was popular, but lacks sustainability, therefore this policy could respond the problem on structural poverty.

It was for that purpose, that the  fund for this program should be used as an additional fund for oil subsidy, he proposed.   Under the current circumstances, it is urgent to protect the poor to prevent their number from  snowballing, Tjahyo said ( ant/ Eliswan Azly )