Protests across Indonesia’s largest cities as fuel prices rise by 30%
Thousands of people demonstrated in Indonesia’s largest cities on September 6, 2022, demanding the government reverse its decision to cut fuel subsidies introduced eight years ago.
President Joko Widodo stated on Saturday, September 3 that he had no alternative but to slash the subsidy and allow fuel prices to increase by approximately 30%, making them ~32% higher than in 2021.1
Protests occurred in and around the capital, Jakarta, as well as in Surabaya, Makassar, Kendari, Aceh, and Yogyakarta, as part of a series of rallies sponsored by students and labor groups that authorities predict might bring large crowds this week.
Thousands of police were deployed across Jakarta, with many guarding gas stations, out of concern that they could become targets of escalating anger over a price increase that, according to labor organizations, will have the greatest impact on workers and the urban poor.
In the past, increases in the price of fuel have prompted student protests, and in 1998, price increases contributed to the overthrow of president Suharto.
References:
1 Protests across Indonesia as anger mounts over fuel price increase – Reuters – September 6, 2022
Featured image credit: We Are Protestors (stillshot)
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