Jakarta – Street protests continued across the country Friday against steep increases in fuel and utility charges as the government began distributing cheaper rice nationwide to those hardest hit by the price rises, AFP reported.

About 10,000 students and workers staged a noisy but peaceful rally in Makassar, South Sulawesi province, El Shinta radio reported.

In Jakarta hundreds of students picketed the parliament building, urging legislators to ask the government to cancel the price increases.

Similar protests were staged in Ambon and Indonesia's seocnd largest city Surabaya. There were no reports of violence.

On Thursday thousands of workers and students staged protests in 19 cities and towns across Indonesia in the biggest challenge to the price hikes so far.

The government raised fuel prices by up to 22 percent on January 2 as part of a continuing effort to reduce costly fuel subsidies and contain its budgetdeficit.

Electricity charges were raised by six percent on January 1 and three further quarterly increases of six percent will follow later this year. Telephone charges increased by an average of 15 percent on January 1.

On Friday the government began distributing 175 tonnes of rice to be sold at a low price as part of measures to help the poor cope with the increases,said the head of the state food agency Bulog, Widjanarko Puspoyo.

He did not say how many of poor people will be eligible for the cheap rice.