Bulukumba, Tribun – Dozens of youth and students from the Preparatory Committee of the National Liberation Party of Unity (KP-Papernas) in the Bulukumba regency of South Sulawesi demonstrated at the offices of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) on the afternoon of Friday December 22.

KP-Papernas held the peaceful action on the grounds of the Bulog offices to demand that the agency provide cheap rice to the people. The action was also to commemorate Mother’s Day (Hari Ibu) that is celebrated on December 22.

In a statement, in addition to demanding that Bulog provide cheap rice, KP-Papernas also called on the government to immediately undertake a market stabilisation operation following the high price increases of rice.

“Over the last few weeks, the price of rice has risen from 3,000 rupiah to 4,000 per kilogram. This situation is making things very difficult for ordinary people. However, up until now the Bulukumba government has yet to take a position on how to overcome these fluctuations”, said Bulukumba KP-Papernas chairperson Alif Kamal.

They also put forward a number of other demands such as for free education and healthcare, free clinics for mothers and children, guarantees of nutrition levels for children, a reading and writing program for people who are illiterate and the prevision of reasonable bathing, washing and toiletry facilities for the public.

[Translated by James Balowski.]