Agus Supriyanto, Jakarta – At a press conference in Jakarta on Sunday March 6, seven mass organisations declared that they are launching a class action against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). According to the plaintiffs, SBY has acted improperly in increasing the price of fuel.

The suit will presented as a class action though their legal representative the People’s Lawyers Union (SPR). The individuals acting as class representatives for the seven mass organisations are Munatsir Mustaman (chairperson of the Popular Youth Movement, GPK), Gigih Guntoro (general secretary of the National Student League for Democracy, LMND), Lukamn Hakim (chairperson of the People’s Democratic Party, PRD), Rahman Tiro (deputy-general secretary of the National Regeneration Movement, GRN), Ariyo Adityo (Center of Information and Action Network for Reform, Pijar), Yudis (secretary Action Study Circle for Indonesian Democracy) and Deddy Rohman (director Indonesian Front for the Defence of Human Rights, Infight).

SPR logged the civil suit with the Central Jakarta State Court on Thursday March 3. The legal grounds for the class action are Regulation Number 1/2002 of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia, Article 1(a), which reads: “A class action suit is a procedure to present a suit where one or more persons representing a group presents a suit on behalf of the group or on their own behalf and at the same time represents a large group of people where there exists common factors or legal grounds between the group’s representative and the group members being referred to”.

In the civil suit the plaintiffs wish to prove that in legal terms and in the most formal parameters – the decision to increase fuel prices by SBY is incorrect. According to Hakim, at the same time they want to provide an understanding to the Indonesian people that there are legal mechanisms which can in fact can be taken by the Indonesian people to sue their president. “And this is one way to prosecute these demand aside from street actions”, he said.

According to SPR lawyer Habiburrahman, the suit will prove that the different theories which have been used by “red plate”1 economic experts which legitimise fuel price increases are wrong and misleading. “In order to support the suit we will be preparing witnesses, material evidence as well as a number of experts which will later bring to court”, he said.

Notes:

1. Meaning “government owned” as government owned vehicles have red number plates.

[Translated by James Balowski.]