The Minister Of SOEs Calls The Pertamax Price Can Down, But...

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said the price of non-subsidized fuel oil (BBM) types of Pertamax has the opportunity to fall.

However, with a record world crude oil prices, it fell to 75 dollars per barrel.

This is because the Pertamax price is determined by the world crude oil price mechanism.

"Pertalite, Solar, and Pertamax are still in subsidies. If the world crude oil, which is currently US$95 per barrel, drops to US$75 per barrel, it will be followed by the selling price of Pertamax to the public," he said in an official statement, quoted Thursday, September 8.

According to Erick, if the world oil price drops, Pertamax will also follow the mechanism by lowering the selling price to the public.

"If later the world oil price drops, Pertamax could go down, but whether Solar and Pertalite will be market prices, it can't because it's subsidies," said Erick.

Erick said that what the government is currently doing by increasing the price of Pertamax from Rp. 12,500 per liter to Rp. 14,500 per liter is an effort to divert subsidies to be more targeted.

So far, continued Erick, even though as non-subsidized fuel, Pertamina continues to provide subsidies for Pertamax.

Erick said that Pertamax prices are actually still below the economic and price prices offered by competitors.

"Because what we are always reminded about, what we do today is not an increase in prices, but a reduction in subsidies," he explained.

On the other hand, Erick assessed, the comparison of fuel prices between countries cannot be seen only from one side.

Erick said, the status as a fuel producing country will certainly be different from countries that only import fuel in determining selling prices to the public.

"Well, sometimes perceptions from the community are compared to, why is this country cheaper, because it still produces, the majority is, if we have imported it," he said.