Police Close Roads Towards The South Sumatra DPRD Office Prevent Crowds Student Demo Rejecting The Increase In Fuel, Here Are The Locations

The Palembang Police blocked the front gate of the South Sumatra DPRD office on Monday, September 5 afternoon. (Between)

PALEMBANG - The Palembang Police closed traffic access to the gate of the South Sumatra Provincial DPRD (Sumsel) office on Monday, September 5 afternoon.

Head of the Traffic Unit of the Palembang City Police, Police Commissioner, Rendy S. Aditama, said that the road closure on Jalan POM IX in Lorok Pakjo Village, Ilir Barat I District, was to prevent crowds of students holding demonstrations in the area.

Rendy said the police had also prevented road buildup from happening by diverting traffic flow.

The diversion is targeting the Radial Street route to Jalan Samsat Baru or Jalan Captain A Rivai, Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Simpang RSK Charitas to Jalan Radial, as well as Jalan Samsat Baru or Jalan Captain A Rivai.

"The lane from the Simpang Samsat Baru or Jalan Captain A. Rivai leads to the intersection of the South Sumatra DPRD is completely closed. The route from Jalan Batas 45 is directed to Jalan Jenderal Sudirman Simpang RSK Chartas," he said.

The demonstration "The Call for Rejecting the Increase in People's Fuel Prices" was attended by hundreds of students, who were members of the South Sumatra People's Care Student Alliance, which took place on Monday, September 5, at around 11.00 WIB.

Based on observations at the location of the mass demonstration, it appears that they are starting to arrive along the road in front of the South Sumatra DPRD Office carrying banners, posters reading their demands, and a pickup truck containing loudspeakers.

"Please friends come closer to fighting for the fate of the people, the fate of our parents who are getting more difficult because fuel prices increase basic needs, our education costs also increase. The government and representatives of the people hear our complaints," said one of the students who wore a light blue alma mater jacket at Raden State Islamic University. Fatah Palembang.

Police officers also seemed to strictly guard the course of the demonstration, deploying about 900 personnel equipped with personal safety equipment and one mass dispersal car.

The demonstration so far based on Antara's report was monitored in an orderly manner.

The government is known to have set an adjustment for the price of Pertalite subsidy fuel to Rp. 10,000 per liter from the previous Rp. 7,650 per liter starting Saturday at 14.30 WIB.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif at a press conference at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Saturday, September 3, said the government also adjusted the price of subsidized fuel for diesel from IDR 5,150 per liter to IDR 6,800 per liter.

Then, for non-subsidized fuel, the government adjusted the price of Pertamax from Rp. 12,500 per liter to Rp. 14,500 per liter.

The government decided that the scheme for diverting fuel subsidies into social assistance so that fuel prices were adjusted. Currently, the amount of subsidies and energy compensation has reached Rp502.4 trillion in the 2022 State Budget, consisting of energy subsidies of Rp208.9 trillion and energy compensation of Rp293.5 trillion.