Jakarta – Although on Friday the government delayed the price increase of fuel, thousands of high school, university students and workers went ahead with a demonstration on Saturday. They were protesting the government policy on fuel, electricity the regional minimum wage and [high-ranking civil service] wage increases.

The demonstrators arrived at the national parliament, gave speeches and unfurled protest banners. They came from the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI), the Workers Committee for Reform Action (KOBAR), the Indonesian Workers Prosperity Union (SBSI), Indonesian Tionghoa Youth Solidarity for Justice (Simpatik), the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) and Anti Fascist and Racist Action (AFRA).

They called on the government and parliament to cancel the price rises on fuel and electricity. "We want them canceled, not delayed", the group charged. They also demanded that the government increase the regional minimum wage of workers from 25 percent to 100 percent. This was because the prices of goods have now risen around 200 percent.

Aside from this, they also demanded that the government cancel the wage increases for high-ranking civil servants. They agreed with wage increase for low-ranking civil servants. For the soldiers and police, the demanded a wage rise only for the lower ranks and non-commissioned officers.

In her speech, Dita Indah Sari, the president of FNPBI, said that the government policy [to increase prices] which was agreed to by the parliament was not on the side of the people.

Translated by James Balowski.]