REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI) stated that an increase of subsidized fuel prices would directly gain financial benefit because they would raise the price of goods. 

"With the increase in fuel prices, entrepreneurs will reap two benefits, while workers will face difficulties in fulfilling their daily needs," KSPI chairman Said Iqbal said on Tuesday.

Currently, "black entrepreneurs" have been urging the new government to raise fuel prices by 3,000 IDR per liter. As a result, the purchasing power of workers has dropped to 50 percent.

According to Iqbal, entrepreneurs will benefit from the rise: first, they will be benefited with greater infrastructure. Second, entrepreneurs will not have a reduction in profit, as they will raise the price of goods. In the end, only workers and poor people will suffer.

He stressed that if the new government increased fuel prices, the KSPI would begin its protest on September 17. Then, the KSPI will deploy around 50 thousand workers to demonstrate across Indonesia on October 2.

Moreover, the KSPI will conduct its third stage of national strike by 2 million workers across 20 provinces and 150 districts/cities at the end of October 2014. The strike will be conducted to oppose fuel price hike and to demand the government to raise minimum wage by 30 percent in 2015.

"Hopefully, the new government will understand the fate of the workers and the poor people," he noted.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika