Nurvita Indarini, Jakarta – Just because he increased fuel prices, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is facing a class action. Yudhoyono is accused of violating the law by raising fuel prices. Well known Islamic preacher Aa Gym is also being sued.
The suit is being filed by the People’s Lawyers Union (SPR) and a number of non-government and mass organisations including the National Student League for Democracy (LMND), the Independent People’s Front (BRM), the Information Centre for Action and Reformation Network (Pijar) and the Popular Youth Movement (GPK).
As well as Yudhoyono and Aa Gym, the suit is also being filed against Vice President Jusuf Kalla, coordinating economic minister Aburizal Bakrie, the minister for communication and information Sofyan Djalil, the Golkar Party, the Prosperity and Justice Party (PKS), the Democrat Party (PD) and oil and gas analyst Kurtubi.
The suit was received by the Central Jakarta State Court deputy clerk of courts for civil cases, Adi Wahyono, in Jakarta on Monday October 31. The suit has been registered as case number 335/Pdt G/2005. SPR is demanding that the president reduce fuel prices to the levels that applied before Presidential Regulation 55/2005 came into force on October 1.
In their suit, they are asking the defendants to pay cash compensation – material and immaterial – of as much as 1 billion rupiah and simultaneously, within three days after a verdict issue a public apology.
According toe SPR chairperson Habiburohman, the money will later be distributed to the Indonesian people through the village level administrations throughout Indonesia by a compensation commission. The 10 member commission will be made up of and headed by the panel of judges, with three of the members being from the plaintiffs and the remainder being independent parties.
They are also demanding that the defendants issue an apology to the Indonesian people by placing an advertisement with nine national newspapers, nine national television stations, nine radio stations and nine Internet sties within three days after the court’s verdict. They are demanding that a verdict on the case be made beforehand even if the defendants lodge an appeal and that the defendants pay the court costs for the case. (umi)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
