Minister Of SOEs Values The Use Of Bioethenol In Fuel Mixtures Can Realize Energy Self-Sufficiency

Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir assessed that the use of bioethenol as a mixture of gasoline (BBM) in Indonesia could suppress importation and realize energy self-sufficiency in the future.

"The government encourages the use of electric cars. However, there is not enough, so the use of bioethenol is also encouraged in the future. And I believe that not only the current government, the government in the future also wants healthy energy self-sufficiency," said Erick on the sidelines of attending a working meeting with Commission VI DPR RI, in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday, July 11.

Erick said that the current government and the new government of President-elect Prabowo Subianto will continue to strive to suppress fuel imports.

He said one of the efforts made by the government was to encourage the use of electric vehicles and the use of fuel from bioethenol.

"But we do have the principle that this fuel import must be reduced in the future. We must be self-sufficient in energy," said Erick.

Erick explained that in today's digitalization era, more and more people will switch to electric cars, resulting in reduced number of cars using fossil fuels. He also highlighted that the use of fossil fuels could be replaced by bioethenol.

"This is the era of digitization, I think. And more and more people will use electric cars, less and less cars will use fuel. The use of fuel itself will be available with bioethenol," said Erick.

According to him, the use of bioethenol is considered a positive alternative in the future because it provides the potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and contributes to environmental protection efforts and energy sustainability.

"Well, what we think is the use (bioethenol) as well as the alternative to bioethenol being the things I think are positive going forward," added Erick.

On that occasion, Erick also responded to the revision of Presidential Regulation Number 191 of 2014 (Perpres 191) to limit the purchase of subsidized fuel oil (BBM).

According to Erick, this was done so that the distribution of subsidized fuel was more targeted and adjusted to the different economic conditions of the Indonesian population.

"There are no restrictions, the number of Indonesians is increasing, but the economic side of each Indonesian population is different. So, the target is prioritized," he said.

Erick also said that the Ministry of SOEs was not involved in making decisions on the policies of the discourse. But he said, currently the discourse is still being discussed among the relevant ministries.

The Ministry of SOEs supports the government's steps in regulating assistance that should be obtained by the community, including electricity and gas.

In addition, Erick also hopes that this will not become a polemic in the community. Moreover, it has been discussed for almost a year, so it is not something new.

"With the current disclosure of information, with the existence of digitalization, I don't think there is any need to worry about that," said Erick.