Bayu Marhaenjati & Hangga Brata – Police are bracing themselves for next month's planned fuel subsidy cut as demonstrations become a daily occurrence and speculators began piling up subsidized fuel to be sold later.
"We will secure gas stations and fuel distribution sites, and we will anticipate demonstrations to keep them from breaking the law," Jakarta Police Chief Insp. Gen. Untung S. Rajab said on Friday.
"For speculators, we have studied precisely people's daily consumption and how long they are allowed to store fuel."
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said officers would be deployed to inspect fuel stations to prevent them from hoarding subsidized fuels. "Particularly those who claim they have run out of Premium," he said, referring to the brand name of subsidized fuel sold by state oil company Pertamina.
"The other day we arrested people in Depok [south of Jakarta] who bought 3,400 liters of subsidized fuel in jerrycans to store in their houses. "Such cases are common [ahead of the hike] not only in Jakarta but also across Indonesia."
The government announced it would increase the price of subsidized fuel from to Rp 6,000 (66 cents) per liter from Rp 4,500 from April 1, as international oil prices have skyrocketed, putting a strain on the state budget.
Police in Cirebon, West Java, and Mamuju, West Sulawesi, said they were also ready to crack down on speculators and guard student protests, staging riot handling rehearsals at their respective cities.
Students across Indonesia have staged protests against the proposed hike since late last month, arguing the hike will have a domino effect on transportation costs and prices of goods and basic commodities.
In Semarang, Central Java, students from Diponegoro University stopped two gasoline trucks belonging to Pertamina on Friday in a protest against the government's policy. The students plastered posters calling for a stop to the plan on trucks' windshields and climbed on top of the vehicles while chanting slogans. They held the trucks captive for 15 minutes before allowing them to continue.
"We hijacked these gasoline trucks because it should be belong to the people," one of the students said. The trucks' drivers seemed anxious as many students smoked near the trucks.
In Bojonegoro, East Java, hundreds of students rallied in front of the local Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) office and also stopped a fuel truck. The students managed to occupy the truck for several minutes before police told them to disband.
In Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, students demanded that DPRD members come out and meet them. When none appeared, the students stormed the local DPRD building.
Demonstrations were also reported in Ambon, Maluku, on Friday.
[Additional reporting from Antara.]