Sri Mulyani Wanti-Wanti Pertamina To Control The Volume Of Fuel Distribution: So That The State Budget Is Not Hit!

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Finance)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati hopes that PT Pertamina (Persero) controls the volume of distribution of subsidized fuel oil (BBM) so that the posture of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) is maintained.

"Of course I hope Pertamina will really control the volume, so that the state budget is not hit," said Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani in front of the media crew at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday, August 11.

Sri Mulyani said the increase in the volume of fuel distribution could cause the allocation of subsidies and energy compensation to exceed the budget ceiling of the state budget of Rp502 trillion this year.

"Although the state budget is good, there will be a surplus until July, but the bill later if the volume is not controlled will be even greater in the second semester," said Sri Mulyani.

Pertamina noted that the distribution of Pertalite type fuel until July 2022 had reached 16.8 million kiloliters (kl). With that, the quota for subsidized fuel is only 6.2 million kl from the set quota of 23 million kl this year.

Then the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has estimated the volume of distribution could reach 28 million kl this year. On the other hand, Sri Mulyani said that the increase in oil prices at the world level and the increase in the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar could also put pressure on the state budget.

"This means that there will be an additional above Rp502 trillion that we have conveyed, not yet the price of oil which in our APBN is assumed to be 100 US dollars per barrel. Yesterday it was up to 120 US dollars per barrel, so that will also be added," said Sri Mulyani.

With that, his party is discussing this issue together with Pertamina, the Ministry of SOEs and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. This discussion is in an effort to find steps to secure the people, secure the economy and secure the state budget.

Previously, the government had revised this year's energy subsidies and compensation to Rp502 trillion, consisting of energy subsidies of Rp208.9 trillion, energy compensation of Rp234.6 trillion and underpayment of energy compensation in 2021 amounting to Rp108.4 trillion.