Because The Community Is Not Independent, The Fuel Subsidy Should Be Recovered To Improve Productivity

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government's provision of fuel oil subsidies (BBM) not only brings positive benefits but on the other hand also makes people complacent.

Senior researcher at the Center for Islamic and Community Studies (PPIM) UIN Prof. Ali Munhanif said that fuel subsidies can make people complacent and far from being independent.

"BBM (subsidized) can make people complacent and far from being independent. In addition, subsidized fuel is not in accordance with the expected target," he said in a discussion entitled 'Harga BBM with just subsidy, right target' quoted on Tuesday, October 25.

He added that the increase in fuel prices was also due to the distortion of subsidies to infrastructure development and government programs to build better education and health.

Meanwhile, the Economic Observer of Muhammadiyah University, Surya Vandiantara, revealed that there were frequent misperceptions as if the fuel subsidy was replaced by Direct Cash Assistance (BLT).

According to him, BLT is a stimulus for economic growth that has encouraged people who were initially consumptive to be productive.

"The main key in improving the economy is improving community productivity by diverting the fuel subsidy budget. To improve community productivity, it can be done by making electricity substations," he continued.

Surya argues that budget efficiency also needs to be done to increase national productivity.

Present on the same occasion, Deputy Chairperson of the DKI Jakarta Nahdlatul Ulama Regional Management (PWNU) KH Lutfi Hakim said, if the fuel subsidy is revoked, the community will experience difficulties in meeting their basic needs so that they can reduce people's purchasing power. For this reason, he asked the government to carry out strict supervision of the distribution of fuel subsidies.

"BLT is only obtained by the community in a few months, while the impact of increasing fuel can be felt by the community for years. For this reason, the government must carry out strict supervision regarding fuel subsidies," he said.

On the other hand, former Deputy Chairperson of Gerindra Arief Poyuono believes that Indonesia's economic strategy can grow because consumption does not grow because of production. For this reason, according to him, it is not only infrastructure that is built, but existing human resources must also develop.

"It is the same with what Ali Munhanif said, that fuel subsidies are distributed to other subsidies, namely BLT. It is hoped that the BLT can be distributed according to the target," he concluded.