(MENAFN- Jordan Times) His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday directed Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh to freeze the government's latest decision to increase the prices of fuel products, a Royal Court statement said.
Late Friday, authorities decided to raise the price of 90-octane gasoline from JD0.70 per litre to JD0.77, a 10 per cent rise, and the price of diesel from JD0.515 per litre to JD0.550. The price of 95-octane gas, which used to be sold at JD1 per litre, also went up by 1.5 per cent or 15 fils.
The King's move received immediate positive reactions from an array of observers, including activists who protested the government's decision.
Deputy Secretary General of the Islamic Action Front Nimr Assaf said that the Islamic movement "welcomes the King's decision and deems it positive intervention that is prone to calm down tensions" among the public.
Independent activists said they are to suspend a series of planned nationwide protests in the wake of the decision, which they described as "official recognition" of the difficult economic conditions facing ordinary citizens.
"The decision to freeze the fuel price increase is proof that the King is listening to the street at a time when the government has refused to," said Akram Kreishan of the Maan Coalition for Reform and Change, which hosted an evening rally against the price hikes that attracted over 500 citizens Saturday night.
Political and economic analyst Zayyan Zawaneh said the King corrected a serious government mistake, adding that His Majesty has intervened at the right time to avoid more tension in the street.
"The Kingdom is going through a very sensitive and exceptional period that requires responsible decision making," Zawaneh told The Jordan Times over the phone, describing the government's Friday decision to raise fuel prices as misjudgement of the political and economic circumstances, both locally and regionally.
"Decision makers seem to be disconnected from reality," he added, referring to Jordanians' living standards.
"The King's move proves to us that he is the only reference for Jordanians," Zawaneh said, indicating that the King's instructions to the government to freeze the fuel price hike would avoid more anger among the people.
The price hikes were met with protests in several towns across the Kingdom, where hundreds demanded the government to reverse the decision and called for the ouster of the government.
Around 88 MPs said they were seeking a vote of no confidence in the government of Fayez Tarawneh over Friday's sudden hike of fuel prices.
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