JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The House of Representatives (DPR) has on Monday (June 17) night approved the revised 2013 State Budget, which paves the way for fuel price hike.
The House made the decision through voting process, where lawmakers from five political parties led by President SBY’s Democratic Party unanimously accepted the revised budget, while lawmakers from three political parties outside the ruling coalition led by PDI-P plus Islamic party PKS rejected the revised budget.
Based on the final voting, 338 lawmakers accepted the revised budget, and only 180 lawmakers rejected.
The revised budget gives way to subsidized fuel price hike and distribution of direct cash assistance to lower income group of the society.
The government plans to raise the price of subsidized gasoline by Rp2,000/liter to Rp6,500/liter, while diesel fuel will be raised by Rp1,000 to Rp5,500/liter.
Workers union and students from some universities staged rallies before the DPR compound until Monday night before police dismissing them with water cannon.
Protests also broke in other cities in the country, but few casualties were reported.