REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesian labor alliance plan to hold a big protest of upcoming fuel oil price hikes on Tuesday, March 27. The plan is predicted could disrupt some public facilities.

The alliance, which consists of major Indonesian labor federations, including The Confederation of The Unions throughout Indonesia (K-SPSI), the Confederation of Indonesia Unions (KSPI), and the Confederation of Indonesia Prosperous Union (KSBSI), threatens to block public facilities on Tuesday (27 March).

"We will block all of the public facilities, such as the toll roads, ports, and airports, on 27 March if the government continues to raise the fuel prices," said the president of KSPI, Said Iqbal, on Tuesday.

Today, hundreds of Indonesian workers poured into the center of the capital city at the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, Jakarta. The march continued to the Presidential Palace.

The large rally was sparked by the government plan to raise fuel prices 33 percent starting April 1, 2012. The price hike, which was earlier set at 4,500 IDR per liter, will be raised to 6,000 IDR per liter.

"The increase in fuel will decrease the workers' purchasing power, then the recent increase in the minimum wage would be totally meaningless," said Iqbal.

In order to assure security during the rally, hundreds of police were deployed around the capital city's main roads and the National Palace. Also, barbed wire was strung in order to fortify the National Palace. Beware!

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