KMP To Seek Government's Explanation On Fuel Policy

Jakarta, Nov 24 (Antara) - The Red-and-White Coalition (KMP) in the House of Representatives (DPR) will proceed with its plan to use its parliamentary interpellation right to seek the government`s explanation over its subsidized fuel price hike policy. "The KMP is resolute to carrying it out. We will make it public that we will use our interpellation right," Bambang Soesatyo, the secretary of the Golkar Party Faction in the DPR, stated here on Monday. He affirmed that the KMP is now preparing arguments for proposing the use of the interpellation right, and a meeting regarding it will be held on Monday afternoon. Bambang said that once the documentation and arguments of the proposal are accepted, the House faction representatives will then obtain interpellation request forms to be submitted to their respective factions. "Members of the Golkar Faction comprise 90 legislators and the Greater Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra) faction has 73 legislators. This excludes other factions in the KMP. So, with this number, it will meet the requirement to propose an interpellation right," Bambang noted. He said that the requirement of at least 25 legislators supporting the move could be met in the coming one or two days. Bambang noted that if the government can tender a clear explanation for its policy to raise the prices of subsidized fuels, the interpellation process would be terminated. But, if the government`s reasons are illogical, the House can move further to use its inquiry or investigation right. "The inquiry right is important to investigate whether it is true that the government suffered losses from the sale of subsidized fuels, thereby forcing it to raise their prices," he pointed out. He stated that the inquiry right could shed light on suspicions regarding the alleged presence of oil and gas mafia and the extent to which the state had incurred losses, due to which the government had to hike subsidized fuel prices. After all, the House`s plan to use the interpellation right or even the inquiry right is not intended to create political chaos, but instead, it should be implemented in the framework of supervising the government. "This chaos (pros and cons on fuel oil price increase) is created by the government. We only supervise them. If not us, who else is going to defend the people," Bambang explained. Bambang hoped that President Joko Widodo will provide explanation to the plenary session of the DPR. If he fails to come, it then means that the president lacks good will to ensure sound governance.