JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP):

Thousands marched through Indonesia's capital yesterday to protest government plans to raise fuel prices by up to 30 per cent.

They urged president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to refrain from slashing subsidies, which have long made fuel products affordable to millions of the nation's poor. But with global oil prices surging, he has said the government has no other choice.

Around 2,000 students, taxi drivers and housewives chanted "reject any fuel hike'' as they headed to the presidential palace, clogging traffic for hours.

They said plans to increase prices, by up to 30 per cent, expected to go into effect later this month, already have caused the costs of staple foods, electricity and public transportation to skyrocket.