Withdraw Cooking Oil Price Debt To Retail, Will Government Pay?

Cooking oil (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - The debt problem with the price difference or the price of the one-price cooking oil program has not found a bright spot. The debt worth Rp. 344 billion has not been paid to employers for two years since this program was launched in January 2022.

Then, will the government pay the debt?

Chairman of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Aprindo) Roy Nicholas Mandey admitted that he continues to collect and is waiting for the government to pay the debt difference in the price of cooking oil.

Based on the information received, Roy said the government had held a special ministerial meeting to discuss the issue of the faction on February 15.

The meeting was attended by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, to the Palm Oil Development Fund Management Agency (BPDPKS).

From the meeting, continued Roy, information was obtained that the government would pay the government for the difference in the price of cooking oil. However, the figure is in accordance with the calculation of Sucofindo Rp474.8 billion.

"We received information that the causation would be paid from the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. There were the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, BPDPKS, the Ministry of Trade, all of them. That was on February 15 yesterday," he said when met in the Central Jakarta area, written Tuesday, March 5.

Roy admitted that there was no problem if the government later paid the debt of the difference in cooking oil prices using the calculation figures from Sucofindo.

For your information, Sucofindo has issued a debt figure for the difference in cooking oil prices that the government needs to pay, reaching Rp474.8 billion, including all cooking oil producers. Meanwhile, based on Aprindo's calculations, special rates for retail entrepreneurs amounted to Rp344 billion.

"We have issued a statement that the number is a second priority, the important thing is that there is an intention to pay. Because now the intention to pay is not visible," he said.

However, continued Roy, with the government's open record regarding its calculations, up to the formula used in its calculations.

"While we were told what the calculation was, where did the numbers come from, what was the formula, why was that. Don't be as if it was impeachment. It means just follow that number, whether you want it or not. So that's what we don't want," he explained.

"So we don't want to be pressured to agree to that number. We want openness, transparency, then later we will make a decision," he continued.

Furthermore, Roy also said that the payment certainty plan would still be discussed in the next meeting. He said there would be a meeting (limited meeting) to discuss the technicalities. We'll just have to wait," he said.

There Is No Certainty That The Special Meeting Of Rafactions Will Be Held

Meanwhile, the Director General of Domestic Trade, Isy Karim, said that the meeting to discuss the payment of the Raction of mutual Goremg oil was carried out because the time coincided with other meetings.

"There is no plan yet. Yesterday the Rafaction meeting was canceled, it was delayed due to another barbaruregan flat, so it was postponed," said Isy.

Isy also said that he still could not confirm when a special meeting to discuss the technicality of the payment of the cooking oil ratio would be held. This is because it must match the watu with the schedule of the relevant ministers.

"It's not that easy. You have to collect the ministers. How many ministers are they," he said.

Government Promises Fierce Debt To Be Paid This Year

Previously, Isy said there had been no further discussion regarding the debt of the one-price cooking oil program. However, his party is trying to pay off the debt of cooking oil ratio this year.

Isy admitted that previously the Ministry of Trade had written to the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs for a meeting to settle cooking oil debts to entrepreneurs. The position of the Ministry of Trade is still waiting for a decision from a limited coordination meeting (Rakortas).

Even so, Isy believes that the debt difference in the one-price cooking oil program will be paid by the government this year.

"It must be paid this year. Yes, hopefully it will be finished, God willing," said Isy at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Jakarta, Monday, January 29.