Police won't be repressive against demonstrators: Da'i

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief General Da'i Bachtiar has given a guarantee that his subordinates will not act repressively against those staging rallies to protest the recent hikes in fuel prices and electricity and telephone rates.

"However, if the demonstrators breach the law and disturb public order, the police will not hesitate to take drastic measures against them," Da'i was quoted as saying by Antara before attending a plenary Cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat building here on Monday.

Claiming that the police had not taken any repressive measures so far, he said that the police would even help provide security for the demonstrators.

Asked about whether the demonstrators had earlier notified the police of their action, Da'i said some of them had while others had not.

Beginning early on Monday, various groups of people, including university students, staged demonstrations simultaneously in various cities to protest against the fuel, electricity and telephone rate increases.

The fuel price and electricity and telephone rate increases became effective as of January 1, 2003.