Hiking the fuel price? It’s really a dilemmatic option to be taken by the government of Indonesia. Amidst the seemingly endless multidimensional crisis having attacked this country since 1998 bringing about the high increase in unemployment rate, poverty and criminality, the fuel price hike will surely add to citizens’ unbearable burden. Citizens see it unfair and illogical, especially when the government argued that increasing fuel price is to mend the state budget.

It is one of the characteristics of Indonesian government. When the economic and financial condition is favorable, government tend to ignore the service to society. On the other hand, when they experience unfavorable condition in managing the country, they demand sacrifice from citizens to cope with the problem. Inconsistency is another characteristic. Rhetorically, the president or his aides deliver flattering speech to win people’s heart. However, the reality shows the opposite.

The high rate of unemployment does not only cause the poverty or criminality but it also causes the high rate of drop-outs. This last impact of government policy must be taken as a serious problem. Drop-outs can cause a serious gap in the future of nation: job, profession, social and economic life, horizon, point of view or responsibility. Most of all, drop-outs will bear low quality of human resource.

price-hike.gifPrice increases are a sensitive issue in Indonesia where many struggle to make ends meet

Actually, government can avoid fuel price hike only if government has a good know-how in managing the country. Indonesia which is naturally the richest country in the world is in fact listed as one of the poor countries. It’s all because the country has been misgoverned or mismanaged. The natural richness which should have distributed equally to social prosperity is so far only enjoyed by the elites. Corruption is a daily business in all aspects of life in the country. No more space that is free from this practice as it has become pathology; hard to get rid of.

As a result, while government officials live in a glamorous life: going on a picnic overseas, enjoying shopping spree every weekend, owning grand houses, driving luxurious cars, or eating out at fancy restaurants, a big number of citizens must strive hard only to find what to eat today.

Realizing the uncontrollable hike of global fuel price, the government of Indonesia opts to reduce the subsidy allocation to the fuel consumption which causes the hike of the price. However, this option is so dilemmatic that it brings about harsh reaction from the people because the hike will sure impact on the price of other daily needs. To calm down people’s reaction, the government bribes them with cash incentive of Rp.100,000,- (US$10) per poor family. What a country!

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