Moch. Andriansyah – A street protest opposing the recent fuel (BBM) price hike by scores of students from the Islamic Students Association (HMI) at the East Java governor’s office in the provincial capital of Surabaya on Wednesday November 19 ended in a clash.

Actions opposing the recent fuel price hike continue. In the East Java city of Malang, hundreds of activists from the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII) arrived at the Pertamina (state fuel company) fuel terminal on Jl. Halmahera number 13 on Tuesday November 18.

Amid mounting calls by big business, the IMF and the World Bank to redirect costly fuel (BBM) subsidies to ‘productive investment’ (read tax breaks and businesses subsidies), President Yudhoyono (left) appears likely to leave such an unpopular decision to president elect Joko Widodo (right) rather than be remembered in his last month in office f

Man: Best wishes in fulfilling the obligations of the holy fasting month

Basket reads “Prices going up”

Soaring inflation resulting from the government’s widely criticised decision to increase subsidised fuel prices is already impacting on household consumption – which contributes around 60% to GDP growth – with the World Bank saying economic growth will fall below 6% for the first time in two years.

Man: Prices are under control... there’s a ‘driver’ right

Kid: BaLSeM. Warm... provides instant relief for kerokan (after oiling and scraping the body) and soreness!

Man: Will it reach its target, no, yes? (chest reads Fuel Compensation Funds, book reads 2013 State Budget)

Man: Simalakama fruit is sweet too right Mr? (a play on the saying “Like eating Simalakama fruit, if you eat it your father will die, if you don’t your mother will die”)

Heru Sri Kumoro, Jakarta – Scores of workers from the Association of Independent Trade Unions (GSBI) commemorated Kartini Day on Sunday April 21 with a protest action at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta.