Jakarta – Hundreds of students staged rallies in at least six cities throughout the country on Tuesday to mark the downfall of former president Soeharto and to remind the government under President Megawati Soekartoputri to meet the pledge for reforms.

In Jakarta, students from various universities across Java staged a protest in front of the State Palace, demanding the government lower prices of fuel and other basic commodities, as well as electricity, telephone and transport rates.

The students also demanded the government eradicate corruption, collusion and nepotism, bring human rights violators to court and reject foreign loans, Antara reported.

The demonstrators, carrying with them floral bouquets, unfurled posters that read: "Mourning the death of the reform movement" and "Revolution Now". They also waved pictures of President Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz crossed with red paint.

Another group of students rallied near Soeharto's house in Menteng, Central Jakarta, demanding he be brought to trial. The protesters, however, were prevented from approaching the house by police.

Similar anti-government protests were also held in five other cities, including Bandung and Surabaya.

In the capital of Central Sulawesi, Palu, about 100 protesters burned an effigy of Megawati with the words "Enemy of the Poor," according to Antara Soeharto resigned on May 21, 1998 amid an economic crisis and widespread opposition to his 32-year rule.