Government Bans Selling LPG, Observers Reveal Blunder Policy

Illustration (Pertamina Patra Niaga)

JAKARTA - The government has officially banned the sale of Liquefied Petroleum Gas 3 Kg (LPG 3 Kg) in retail since February 1, 2025. Meanwhile, sales of 3 Kg LPG can only be carried out at Pertamina's official base or distributor.

To note, retailers who want to keep selling LPG 3 Kg must change from retailer to Pertamina's official base or distributor, who are given 1 month to change it.

Energy Economy Observer at Gadjah Mada University, Fahmyani, conveyed that the policy of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia was a blunder policy because it killed grassroots entrepreneurs, troubled consumers, and violated President Prabowo's commitment to favoring the small people.

"So far, retailers are grassroots entrepreneurs and small stalls to cut their opinion by selling LPG 3 Kg, the prohibition for retailers selling LPG 3 Kg to kill their businesses", he said in his statement, Sunday, February 2.

According to him, the impact of the policy is that grassroots entrepreneurs lose their income, return to unemployment and fall into the poor.

"It is impossible for grassroots entrepreneurs to turn into Pertamina's official base or retailer because a large amount of capital is needed to pay for LPG 3 purchases," he explained.

Fahmy conveyed that Bahlil's policy was also difficult for consumers, most of whom were poor, to buy LPG 3 kg needs at bases far from where he lived.

According to Fahmy, the policy of prohibiting retailers from selling LPG 3 Kg has violated President Prabowo's commitment to favoring the small people, both grassroots entrepreneurs and consumers of the poor.

Fahmy explained that due to Bahlil's policy of turning off grassroots entrepreneurs, causing trouble for poor consumers, and contrary to Prabowo's commitment, the government's policy of prohibiting retailers from selling LPG 3 must be canceled.

"Prabowo must reprimand Bahlil for his blunder policy so that similar policies do not happen again," he said.