Jakarta – Indonesian police fired tear gas during clashes yesterday with protesters against a planned weekend increase in fuel and electricity prices.
The clashes occurred a short distance from the house of former President Suharto, who earlier in the day failed to turn up for questioning about alleged corruption.
Several hundred protesters gathered at parliament to protest against the fuel price rises, due to take effect tomorrow and one of the reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund under an aid package for Indonesia.
Chanting "Cancel the hike!" more than 500 students flocked into the parliament building, demanding to see Speaker Amien Rais. The protesters then suddenly began heading for Mr Suharto's house in the posh Menteng district.
Some 200 students from the City Forum, who had protested at the parliament against the planned fuel price hike, rode on buses towards Mr Suharto's residence but they were blocked by anti-riot police at a roundabout some 300m short of the house. The students carried banners demanding that Mr Suharto be dragged to court and others labelling the 78-year-old former head of state as a "big corruptor".
Angered by the thick cordon of policemen blocking their way, some of the students began throwing stones at the security forces, who responded by firing tear gas cannisters. At least two policemen were slightly injured, one with a bleeding head and another with a cut leg, an AFP photographer at the site said. The students were quickly forced back by the police.
The military and the police have been gearing up in anticipation of major protests over the price rises. The government insisted yesterday it was set to raise fuel prices tomorrow despite concerns of some lawmakers.
Indonesia's chief economic minister Kwik Kian Gie said there would be no delay to the planned rise despite lawmakers' concerns. "Until today it is still going to happen and subsidies will be given to poor sectors of society," Mr Kwik was quoted as saying by the official Antara news agency.
The average 12 per cent increase is one of the economic reforms agreed with the IMF in Indonesia's last letter of intent. Indonesia's parliament called for the delay of the fuel price hikes. On Wednesday, the head of parliament's Energy Commission, which must be consulted on the rises, said it would delay them unless certain conditions relating to its effect on the public were met.
Electricity and fuel prices are highly sensitive issues in Indonesia. Jakarta's last bid to raise fuel prices in May 1998 helped spark a wave of unrest which was one of the factors that toppled the then president Suharto after 32 years in power.