World Oil Prices Have Fallen Sharp, Member Of Commission VII DPR Desak Pemerintah Menghati Harga BBM Bersubsidi

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Member of Commission VII DPR RI Mulyanto urged the government to lower the price of subsidized fuel oil (BBM). This is because the current world oil price has decreased sharply from a peak of 120 US dollars per barrel to 74 US dollars per barrel.

"Please the leadership of the DPR can encourage and urge the government to lower subsidized fuel prices such as Pertalite and Solar because today's world oil prices have fallen sharply from a peak of 120 US dollars per barrel, now it has touched around 74 US dollars per barrel," he said at the Plenary Meeting at the DPR Building, Tuesday, January 10.

He continued, currently several operators providing fuel, both private and government-owned, such as VIVO, BP-AKR and Pertamina, have lowered non-subsidized fuel prices in early 2023. Not only that, but fuel products equivalent to Pertalite such as Revvo 90 and BP90 have also experienced price reductions.

"Even for Pertalite-type fuel such as Revvo 90, BP90 has also lowered the price. Therefore, people are wondering when will Pertalite RON 90 go down?" continued Mulyanto.

Mulyanto also highlighted the high inflation rate of the Indonesian Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 2022, which was 5.51 percent (yoy). This figure has increased compared to the 2021 IHK inflation of 1.87 percent (yoy) and higher than the target of 3.0:01 percent.

"In fact, our BI target is only 3 percent plus minus 1. This is a contribution to the increase in fuel," added Mulyanto.

For this reason, continued Mulyanto, in order to ease the burden on the community, he urged the government to lower the price of subsidized fuel in Indonesia.

"Please the leadership can encourage and urge the government to consider reducing subsidized fuel prices," concluded Mulyanto.

Just so you know, currently the price of Pertalite is set at IDR 10,000 per liter. The government and PT Pertamina decided not to lower the price of pertalite even though the world oil price had decreased.

"Especially for diesel and pertalite the price remains. Why? Because this is subsidized by the government and the subsidies are huge," said Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati at Pertamina gas station MT Haryono, South Jakarta, Tuesday, January 3.

Nicke Widyawati revealed the reason why the price of Pertalite did not fall as was done at Pertamax. Pertalite and Solar prices were not lowered because the government had distributed a large enough subsidy for the sale of the two fuels.

"Solar, Pertalite is still the price. Because today the government is helping it is very large. Solar is IDR 6,800 per liter, even though this competitor is more than double. The large subsidy is IDR 6,500, almost the same (to the selling price)," said Nicke.