Various Proposals By Commission VII DPR Regarding Subsidized Fuel, Accelerate Revision Of Presidential Regulation 191 To Ask MUI To Make A Fatwa

JAKARTA - Commission VII of the House of Representatives submitted a number of proposals related to the distribution and limitation of subsidized fuel oil (BBM) quotas. One of them urged the government to immediately ratify the Revision of Presidential Regulation No. 191 in 2014.

This statement was made by a member of Commission VII of the Golkar Faction, Muchtarudin. According to Muchtarudin, up to now as many as 40 percent of the poor and vulnerable people consume only 20 percent of fuel, but the top 60 percent consume 80 percent of subsidized fuel.

Pertamina must ensure that subsidized fuel is used by eligible segments of society and vehicles that comply with regulations. "This means that there is a distribution problem. Regarding the regulation of the Presidential Regulation, I think it must be accelerated. Otherwise it will be difficult to regulate distribution. If there is no tightening, I am sure it will collapse," he said during the Commission VII Working Meeting with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jakarta, Wednesday, August 24.

Muchtarudin also proposed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to form a task force or task force to oversee the distribution of subsidized fuel. "BPH Migas with limited network capabilities is also not very strong. Then the institution assigned the task also does not work. If possible, we will form a task force," he added.

Previously reported, until July 2022, state-owned PT Pertamina recorded Pertalite consumption had reached 16.8 million kiloliters, equivalent to 73.04 percent of the total quota set at 23 million kilo liters. This high consumption figure makes Pertalite's quota remaining only 6.2 million kilo liters.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission VII DPR from the PDIP Party Faction Willy Midel suggested the government to cooperate with the Indonesian Ulema Council to enact a fatwa for the purchase of subsidized fuel. "In my opinion, I met several MUI figures, after seeing the supervision that was prone to collapse, how about making a fatwa. So it is really directed at people who can't afford it," he said.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif targets the revision of Presidential Regulation No. 191 of 2014 to be completed in August 2022. The regulation also regulates the rules for purchasing subsidized fuel pertalite type.

Currently, the initiative permit to revise the rules for purchasing subsidized fuel, aka Perpres 191/2014, has been obtained. "God willing (August), we have to work fast. The items are already there," he said in Jakarta, Wednesday, July 27.

Regarding the proposed items, Arifin is still reluctant to open his voice because the government is currently focusing on following up on the initiative permits that have been issued. "The initiative permit has been issued, now we will follow up to make improvements from what was previously adapted to the existing situation," he continued.

The government is currently working on a revision to Presidential Regulation Number 191 of 2014 concerning the Supply, Distribution and Retail Selling Price of BBM which regulates restrictions on recipients of subsidized fuel oil and assignments.

Through the revision of the Presidential Regulation, the government hopes that subsidized diesel fuel and pertalite will be more targeted.