Indonesia says cannot rule out more fuel price hikes

JAKARTA (Reuters) – The Indonesian government cannot guarantee that there will be no further fuel price hikes before the 2009 presidential election, Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Sunday.

Indonesia raised fuel prices by almost 30 percent last month, sparking protests in a country where millions are already suffering from rising energy and food costs.


Yusgiantoro also said that Indonesia, which has decided to leave the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), may rejoin the oil cartel again, once it has lifted production and controlled consumption.