Coordinating Minister Airlangga Announces Electricity Tariff Discounts, Bahlil: I Don't Know

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that he had not received a report regarding the provision of a 50 percent discount on electricity rates for June-July.

Just so you know, previously the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced that the government had again held a 50 percent discount on electricity rates for customers below 1,300 KWh.

Bahlil said that in fact every policy of providing incentives would be discussed with the relevant ministries. However, Bahlil admitted that he had not received a report regarding this electricity tariff policy.

"As far as I know, if there are cuts or anything in the mechanism, there will always be discussions first, yes. The discussion is always usual, there is an ESDM ministry. I don't know whether the technicalities already exist or not, I don't know yet," Bahlil told the media crew at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Monday, May 26.

For this reason, Bahlil emphasized that his party from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources would study and conduct a preliminary study of the policy announced by Airlangga on Saturday, May 24.

Bahlil emphasized that the policy of providing tariff discounts is related to the budget for the state so that it needs more in-depth discussion and coordination between Ministries/Institutions.

"I have to learn everything first. We must definitely study the people. But we must also pay attention to the state. Then when we talk about subsidies, it cannot be separated from having communication with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Finance," explained Bahlil.

Bahkan, kata dia, saat ini PT PLN (Persero) sebagai badan usaha penyedia listrik juga belum diberikan surat resmi dari Kementerian ESDM terkait arah pemberian diskon listrik 50 persen tersebut.

When asked about the coordination between the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Finance and the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, he emphasized that inter-ministerial communication was still running well.

"(Communication) all right," said Bahlil.