UNAIR NEWS – The subsidized and non-subsidized fuel prices are officially raised on Saturday, September 3, 2022. The news was announced by President Joko Widodo in Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. The commodity price hike triggers community protests. Demonstrations and calls for action were continuously being held in various places.
Universitas Airlangga sociologist, Prof Dr. Bagong Suyanto Drs MSi stated that the phenomenon is a natural response. He believed that the government understood that well and carefully considered the social impacts of the unpopular decision.
“The domino effect of the fuel price hike has also triggered the price hike of other daily necessities. It is natural to see concerns and dissatisfaction due to the increasing fuel prices, which creates new social pressures,” he said.
It is evident with the immediate launching of unconditional cash transfer (BLT) as the government’s attempt to push down social pressure. Prof. Bagong emphasized that the challenge lies in public trust in the evenly distributed BLT. Therefore, transparency is a must.
“However, I’m afraid that the social aid (bansos) is not of much help. By the government’s logic, they assume that the community’s economic conditions are zero, they gave them Rp600.000, and thought it’s a surplus by Rp600.000. The problem is, what if it’s minus?” the Dean of Universitas Airlangga Faculty of Social and Political Sciences said.
Furthermore, Prof Bagong also criticized the benefits. An accurate distribution of social aid does not equal with accurate benefits. The social impact results in increasing number of new poor. The community must adjust to the new condition.
“The near poor community, they are close to poverty. The price fluctuations make it possible for them to be the new poor,” he said.
Generally, providing subsidy is not always a good idea. It will result in a highly dependent community. Once the subsidy is subdued or even revoked, people will lose what they have enjoyed so far.
“The government should lessen on providing charitable assistance. Instead, give empowering assistance. The policy should not be anything like a firefighter who works once the fire is burning,” he said.
In the end, Prof Bagong advised the community to conduct business diversification and not solely depend on the main job that is mainly unstable thanks to the fluctuating policy and regulation.
“The community should be taught and encouraged to strengthen the economic pillars in the family. Not just improving the main economy. Once it collapses, it will also bring down the family economy. A lot of income will present more pressure too,” he ended.
Author: Afrizal Naufal Ghani
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
