Bahlil And Sri Mulyani Are Different About The Price Of 3 Kg LPG In The Community

Elpiji (photo: Doc between)

JAKARTA - The government has again allowed retailers to sell 3 kilograms (kg) of LPG, which previously could only be obtained at official bases.

However, there are differences of opinion between the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia and the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati regarding the price should be 3 kg LPG in the community.

According to Bahlil, the price of 3 kg LPG at the retail level should be Rp. 15,000 per cylinder because there is a subsidy from the government of around Rp. 36,000 for one 3 kg LPG cylinder.

"The price at the community level should be no more than Rp. 5,000 per kilogram. This means that one tube should only be Rp. 15,000. Because the state subsidy per tube is Rp. 36,000," said Bahlil, Tuesday, February 4.

Meanwhile, based on the reports received, Bahlil said that the selling price in the community reached Rp. 26,000 per tube so that the government was aggressively making arrangements by requiring purchases through official bases.

He added that before setting retailers into sub bases, Pertamina could not control the purchase of gas through retailers because the seller set its own price.

"The new agent to the base is Rp. 16,000, up to retailers it should be Rp. 19,000 maximum. But if it's Rp. 26,000, it means something is wrong. That's what was wrong then what we made so we wouldn't be wrong," said Bahlil.

Meanwhile, Sri Mulyani explained that the retail selling price or from Pertamina's official base to the distribution agent for LPG 3 kg was IDR 12,750 per cylinder, even though the original price of LPG reached IDR 42,750 per tube.

Sri Mulyani explained that the current price for buying goods such as LPG 3kg, diesel, pertalite, kerosene, household electricity for a maximum of 900 VA, urea fertilizer and NPK fertilizer should not be the price, because these items receive assistance in the form of subsidies or compensation.

"Then, who bears the excess of Rp. 30,000 per 3kg LPG cylinder and Rp. 5,150 per Solar liter? The government, through APBN Expenditures from taxes you pay," he said in a personal upload of the official Instagram account @smindrawati, quoted Friday, January 23.

Sri Mulyani explained that subsidies and compensation not only protect the most vulnerable community groups, but also middle class groups benefit strategically.

According to Sri Mulyani, this is a tangible form of the benefits of the state budget which can be enjoyed directly by the community.

"Through subsidy spending and APBN compensation, it protects people's purchasing power so that our economy continues to move in the midst of geopolitical pressures and global situations that are full of uncertainty," he said.

It is known, during 2024, the amount of subsidies and compensation disbursed by the state budget, namely LPG 3kg amounting to IDR 80.2 trillion for 40.3 million customers, Solar amounting to IDR 89.7 trillion for more than 4 million vehicles.

Then, Pertalite amounted to Rp56.1 trillion for more than 157.4 million vehicles, Land Oil worth Rp4.5 trillion for 1.8 million households, Electricity RT 900 VA amounting to Rp156.4 trillion for 40.3 million customers (via subsidies) and 50.6 million customers (through compensation), and Pupuk Urea and Pupuk NPK Rp47.4 T as much as 7.3 million tons of fertilizer for farmers.