Democrat: PDI-P Displays Political Acrobat on Fuel Prices

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Ramadhan Pohan, the deputy secretary general of the Democrat Party, said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) was currently exhibiting a political acrobat by bringing up the plans to increase fuel prices as President Yudhoyono was preparing to step down.

In fact, Ramadhan went on, it was PDI-P that turned down the proposed hike in fuel prices in the past House meetings. “It’s clear now who likes to buff up his image,” Ramadhan said at the parliamentary complex in Senayan on Wednesday, August 27, 2014.

Ramadhan said the nation’s economic conditions at present were well so it was unnecessary to raise fuel prices. He added it was possible that after President Yudhoyono increased the prices then Jokowi would decrease them as president.

“Didn’t PDI-P make a handbook in June so that the government did not increase fuel prices?” said Ramadhan, adding that it seemed PDI-P attempted to pressure the Yudhoyono administration to immediately raise fuel prices. The handbook contains alternatives for the government to shun increases in fuel prices.

“Be patient, just implement them yourself. It is less than a month before you take office,” Ramadhan said. 

MUHAMMAD MUHYIDDIN