Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Ezra Sihite & Yeremia Sukoyo – The ruling Democratic Party on Thursday demanded that coalition partner the Prosperous Justice Party swiftly remove banners it mounted across Jakarta opposing the government's plan to increase subsidized fuel prices.
"PKS has to immediately take down those provocative banners spread in different areas of the city," said Didi Irawadi Syamsuddin, a Democratic Party politician, referring to the junior coalition member.
Didi said he hoped PKS politicians would put an end to their "dirty politics" and said that as members of the ruling coalition, PKS enjoyed many benefits and was obliged to stand by government policy, even when it was unpopular.
"The provocative banners only complicate the situation. [It] confuses the public and provokes [them]," he said.
Julian Aldrin Pasha, a spokesman for Democratic Party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said the banners were politically provocative and undermined government efforts to promote the fuel price rises and the compensation that will accompany them.
"The president's hope is that the public realizes that there is a great need for this [the fuel price hike]. It is not a political need, it is not just because of the interests of a political party or the government," he said on Wednesday.
PKS's opposition to the fuel price increase has led to accusations of rebelliousness. Such claims were encouraged by the party's absence from a coalition meeting on the fuel subsidy issue at Vice President Boediono's residence on Tuesday night.
At the meeting, United Development Party (PPP) secretary general Romahurmuziy said the parties in the coalition agreed to the fuel price hike, in line with the draft 2013 state budget revision.
"The fuel price hike is seen as the last step in restoring the state budget," he said, adding that the government's deficit was at risk of exceeding the 3 percent limit set by the State Finance Law.
The government has previously announced plans to raise as soon as this month the price of subsidized gasoline to Rp 6,500 a liter and subsidized diesel to Rp 5,500 a liter. Both types of fuels are sold at Rp 4,500, less than half their unsubsidized market prices.
The meeting agreed that compensation would be offered following the fuel price hike through four programs: a temporary aid package (BLSM), the Family of Hope scheme (PKH), scholarships for the poor (BSM) and a food subsidy program (Raskin).
Ichsanuddin Noorsy, a public policy expert, said the Democratic Party and PKS were competing to win public sympathy ahead of next year's national elections.
"The Democratic Party is trying to earn sympathy through its BLSM program, while PKS does the same by opposing the fuel price hike. The outcomes are hoped to create a favorable image in the public eye," Ichsanuddin said.
He added that should the fuel price increase materialize, PKS may still benefit from the PKH, which will be managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the minister for which is PKS politician Salim Segaf Al-Jufri.
Ichsanuddin urged the public to monitor political elites who may try to exploit public policies for personal benefits.
"In the science of political finances, the public remains the base of authority and the object of policies. This is something we should be aware of in order to oppose those who pretend to be supportive of the public but are in fact trading this essence [for their own good]," he warned.
The government has tried several times to increase the price of subsidized fuel, which is a major drain on government finances given the rising oil price. An attempt last March was thwarted by the House of Representatives.