The Government Gives 50 Percent Electricity Discounts, This Is The Fate Of Non-Subsidized Fuel

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

AMBON - The government provides a 50 percent discount to 97 percent of PLN electricity customers in January-February 2025 to reduce the impact of the VAT increase to 12 percent. So what about non-subsidized fuel rice which will be affected by the 12 percent increase in VAT?

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia said his party was working on the right formula for fuel so that people would not be miserable.

"We are still making a formulation and God willing, the people will not suffer," Bahlil told the media crew while visiting the Nusantara I Barge Mounted Power Plant (BMPP) Floating Plant (BMPP), Maluku Province, Wednesday, December 18.

Even so, Bahlil is reluctant to elaborate further on what formulas will be given to the non-subsidized fuel user community. However, until now the government is formulating a subsidy scheme, one of which is the blending option, where subsidies are given to goods and others in the form of Direct Cash Assistance (BLT). This scheme, he added, is to stimulate people's purchasing power and ensure subsidies are right on target.

Met on the same occasion, President Director of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, Riva Siahaan said Pertamina was still coordinating regarding the impact of the 12 percent increase in VAT on the energy sector.

"But if the addition is actually small, the additional 1 percent is. We leave it to the government. But in principle pertamina must support it. It's just that later if this includes energy, we also have to prepare an explanation to the public," explained Riva.

Riva emphasized that no discount will be given to non-subsidized fuel as given by the government to electricity. However, he confirmed that Pertamina still offers promos that can be obtained in the MyPertamina application.

"It's like yesterday there was a point exchange with carbon credit. So actually it fosters our sense of awareness, it's important to be able to radicalize into better and cleaner energy," said Riva.