Failed policies, why not a public debate first?

Raising subsidized fuel prices and giving away cash disbursements to the poor people are not the only solution for this country. Such policies will only make more and more millions suffer and raise the number of poor who are already struggling for their daily lives due to rising fuel and food prices. Under a capitalist regime, the policy of increasing fuel prices may look and sound good. But in the case of Indonesia, more and more millions of people who are already struggling for their daily lives, will suffer even more (watch out for demos, increased crime rate and suicides). Current economic policies have not worked. For the common people, life is far more difficult. Farmers are not better off in terms of their welfare and fishermen can no longer afford to go to sea. Cash disbursements of a mere Rp 100,000 a month to the poor will only last for two days (Rp 14 trillion in 7 months, Rp 100,000 per family each month). And it can be misinterpreted as political bribes to win the hearts of the people. Yudhoyono’s call for saving energy may be a good call but not for the common people who have yet to enjoy electricity, affordable basic needs, education, health and a decent life (It’s a call for the elite people, officials, MPs and businessmen!). People don’t buy policies under the pretext of external factors such as rising global oil and food prices and most of all, bailing out the state budget. There are other alternatives which Indonesia can take in the course of saving the nation. One way is having the courage to resist foreign influence, get rid of the oil mafia practices and implement own genuine Indonesian economic policies. They can be among others, renegotiating oil production sharing contracts with foreign companies, covering the Rp 35 trillion budget deficit using the abundant funds intended for spending (government only spent 5% of that), rescheduling repayment of foreign debt (the bulk of the money is untouched for the creditors) and making the state oil enterprise, Pertamina, efficient. But Yudhoyono insisted no other economic solutions will work except for increasing fuel. Such dogmatic thinking is undemocratic in nature (intellectual arrogance?). He should have accommodated the theories and analysis of other economists outside the government. Or at least engage in a public and open debate first with economists who believe they their theories are applicable (why not a debate with Rizal Ramli?). This way, he will save his own credibility which is now seen and portrayed as more serving the interests of the foreigners, foreign bond holders and his own political ambition.