Minister Of Industry Agus Asks For The HGBT Program To Continue And Be Expanded, Here Are Five Legal Basins

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) said, there are five legal bases related to the implementation of certain natural gas prices or HGBT to continue.

First, Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 40 of 2016 in conjunction with Presidential Decree Number 12 of 2020 concerning Stipulation of Natural Gas Prices.

Second, Regulation of the Minister of Industry (Permenperin) Number 18 of 2020 concerning Recommendations for Certain Natural Gas Users.

Third, Regulation of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (PermenESDM) Number 15 of 2022 concerning Procedures for Determination of Certain Natural Gas Users and Prices in the Industrial Sector.

Fourth, the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (KepmenESDM) Number 134K/2022 concerning Guidelines for Determination and Evaluation of Certain Natural Gas Users and Prices in the Industrial Sector and in the Field of Electricity Supply for Public Interests.

Finally or fifth, the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (KepmenESDM) Number 89K/2020 in conjunction with 91K/2023 concerning Certain Natural Gas Users and Certain Natural Gas Prices in the Industrial Sector.

When asked further about the five legal bases that became the basis of the Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita asked the HGBT Program to continue, the Ministry of Industry's Public Relations also confirmed it.

"Yes, that's right. (the five legal bases) (based on the HGBT program) to be continued and expanded in the sector," he told VOI, Wednesday, March 27.

Based on VOI records, discussions on the continuation of HGBT have been carried out at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) on Friday, March 22.

In the agenda, Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif and Head of SKK Migas Dwi Soetjipto were also present. However, Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita was absent from the agenda.

Based on a written statement received by VOI, Saturday, March 23, it was stated that the reason Minister of Industry Agus was not present in the agenda for discussing the continuation of the HGBT was due to the inauguration of 11 officials within the Ministry of Industry.

Director General of Metal, Machinery, Transportation Equipment and Electronics Industry of the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) Taufiek Bawazier said, initially Minister Agus wanted to attend the meeting. However, from the original schedule that had been agreed, the meeting was accelerated.

"Initially (the meeting) was scheduled to start at 14.30 WIB. The Minister of Industry (Agus) was ready to attend and Thursday night was notified to be moved forward to 13.30 WIB, he was also ready to attend," said Taufiek.

"However, suddenly on Friday morning, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources unilaterally changed the meeting schedule to 10.00 WIB. At the same time, the Minister of Industry already has an agenda of inaugurating 11 officials at the Ministry of Industry," he continued.

Thus, Agus also instructed Taufiek to become a representative in the agenda of the meeting with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Minister of Finance and the Head of SKK Migas.

"So it is with a heavy heart to assign echelon 1 level officials to attend meetings whose schedule has been changed," said Taufiek.

In the agenda of the meeting, Taufiek received a message from Agus, so that the HGBT program would continue and expand its sector.

"We also request that the HGBT program in accordance with President Jokowi's Regulation be continued and even expanded with the principle of no one left behind. Not only for the seven industrial sectors that currently receive facilities," he said.

Most recently, the Chairman of Commission VII DPR RI, Sugeng Suparwoto, revealed that his party is currently harmonizing the policy of the Certain Natural Gas Price program (HGBT) for industry and state revenues.

Moreover, he said, the cheap gas price program for seven industrial sectors, namely fertilizer, petrochemicals, oleochemicals, steel, ceramics, glass, and rubber gloves in accordance with Presidential Regulation 121 Number 2020, has problems in terms of state revenue.

"We are currently evaluating because there is input that gas as the main income from the state budget is experiencing problems in terms of state revenue. This is what is allegedly at the Ministry of Finance," he said at the Energy Corner, Tuesday, March 26.

As a partner of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Industry, Sugeng said that his party would continue to harmonize these two aspects in terms of state revenue and industrial competitiveness with natural gas prices of 6 dollars per MMBTU.

Moreover, Sugeng assessed that this cheap gas policy would certainly increase industrial competitiveness, absorb labor and increase income in terms of increasing taxes.