Minister Bahlil Explains Reasons To Stop Fuel Imports From Singapore

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

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil lahadalia revealed the government's reason for slowly wanting to reduce imports of fuel oil (BBM) from Singapore.

Bahlil said that the price of oil imports from Singapore is not much different if Indonesia imports from Singapore.

Moreover, according to him, importing fuel from Singapore is a funny practice because Singapore is not an oil-producing country.

"Lucu negara ini, kita impor minyak BBM dari negara yang enggak ada minyaknya. Harganya sama dengan kalau kita impor dari middleeast," ujar Bahlil di Jakarta, Senin, 26 Mei.

For this reason, the government has decided to import fuel from central eastern countries that have the same price margin as fuel from Singapore.

According to him, this is Indonesia's step to protect the nation's pride.

Bahlil assessed that it is better to laugh at the Middle East neagra which is a world oil producer, than to laugh at Singapore which does not have an oil source.

"Middle East is laughing at us still much more valuable than Singapore laughing at us because he doesn't have oil," said Bahlil.

In addition to actively importing fuel and oil, Bahlil continued, the government is also actively promoting Cooperation Contractors (KKKS) to increase domestic oil lifting.

Bahlil also encouraged KKKS to use new technologies such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).

On the other hand, Indonesia also has 60 oil and gas working areas that will be tendered in the near future.

"The president's directive to us in 2029-2030 we must reach 900,000 to 1 million BOPDs. We must be able to make this happen if we are still ashamed," said Bahlil.