IT is now certain: the government will increase oil prices at the beginning of next month. The amount is incredible: at a minimum 50 percent. Head of Bappenas (National Development Planning Agency), Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said that the governmentas usualhad no choice but to do it to keep deficits at less than 1 percent. When? If in November, it can be even higher, she said.

The exact prices have not yet been mentioned. The government reportedly m