Jakarta – Indonesian authorities have given in to demands for transport fare increases as thousands of commuters were left stranded because of a strike by public minivan drivers.

While not nationally-organised, minivan drivers in cities across the country have held demonstrations to protest against the government's decision to increase the price of fuel by 30 per cent.

To avoid a further suspension of transport services, city administrations on Monday separately agreed to raise the public transport fares by an average of 20 per cent. In the capital, the Jakarta administration also looked set to increase public transport fares after the city's Land Transportation Owners' Association (Organda) proposed the raise on Monday.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro yesterday said the government would not review its decision to raise fuel prices, despite protests against the hike. President Abdurrahman Wahid also defended the price hikes yesterday, saying they were crucial to Indonesia's economic recovery.