Subsidies Suck Up To IDR 75 Trillion Budget, Sri Mulyani Asks Pertamina To Control Fuel Supply

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani revealed that subsidy spending until May 2022 had reached more than IDR 75 trillion. According to him, this figure is the realization of the 2021 subsidy underpayment of IDR 10.1 trillion and this year's realization of IDR 65.2 trillion.

As a comparison, the absorption of subsidy spending last year was only around Rp. 56 trillion. "This is what Pertamina needs to control," he said at a press conference on the State Budget, quoted on Friday, June 24.

According to the Minister of Finance, the increase will not only occur in terms of cost or value but also in terms of the quantity of fuel distributed. "The number of kilo liters of fuel in the form of diesel and kerosene has increased from 5 million kilo liters last year to 5.6 million kilo liters this year," he said.

In detail, the state treasurer also revealed that the value of subsidies in the first five months of this year also included LPG subsidies of IDR 2.5 million metric tons, electricity subsidies for 38.4 million customers, fertilizer subsidies of 3.5 million tons, and housing subsidies for around 46,000 units. .

"So this is what describes the state budget as a shock absorber. The number of people's needs increases with high prices, but (the government) does not change prices," he said.

For information, the government not only provides energy subsidies but also disburses a budget for compensation for important strategic goods, such as pertalite fuel.

"Yesterday, it was agreed with the DPR to increase the 2022 compensation budget of Rp. 275 trillion from the initial ceiling of Rp. 18.1 trillion. So the total compensation this year reached Rp. 293 trillion. This is a very large number," explained Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani.