Singgung BBM Rakyat Kecil, Prabowo Sebut Orang Kaya Diminta Berani Bayar Mahal

President Prabowo Subianto (Photo: Presidential Media Team)

KARAWANG - President Prabowo Subianto alluded to the price of fuel oil or fuel for small people when launching Mandatory Biodiesel B50 in Karawang, West Java, Thursday, July 9. He said Indonesia is now being talked about by the world because it is not panicking in the face of global pressure and does not raise fuel prices for small people.

Prabowo conveyed this when talking about Indonesia's position in the midst of the world crisis. According to the President, a number of world figures have begun to pay attention to Indonesia because it is able to keep up the pace at a time when many countries are facing energy pressures.

"World figures are talking about Indonesia. Indonesia is successful. Indonesia is not panicking. Indonesia is not raising fuel prices for small people," said Prabowo.

However, Prabowo gave a different note for the able group. He said that the rich should not have a problem if they have to pay more.

"For the rich, there is no problem," he said.

In his speech, Prabowo then greeted a number of entrepreneurs who were present. He also alluded to the owner of a luxury car so that he would not mind paying a higher price.

"You dare to use a Lamborghini, you have to dare to pay dearly," said Prabowo.

The statement came amid the launch of B50, a mixed program of 50 percent solar and 50 percent palm oil-based biofuel. The government places this program as part of efforts to reduce dependence on imported solar and strengthen energy resilience.

Prabowo said energy was one of the main conditions for a nation to survive. In addition to energy, he called food and water as basic needs that determine state sovereignty.

According to Prabowo, even before being inaugurated as president, he had asked his team to pursue food and energy self-sufficiency. He assessed that Indonesia should not continue to rely on imported fuel and food.

"We must be self-sufficient in food, we must be self-sufficient in energy. We must not import fuel, we must not import food," he said.

Prabowo said the government was originally pushed towards a higher biodiesel mix. He even mentioned that he had encouraged the direction of B100. However, the ministers convinced him that B50 was enough to stop importing solar.

"With B50 alone, we will no longer import solar from abroad," said Prabowo.

He also said that the implementation of B50 could hold foreign exchange up to Rp170 trillion or around 10 billion US dollars. That amount of money, he said, is no longer going out for imports.

"Imagine that we can now save foreign exchange money out of Rp170 trillion. We save 10 billion dollars," he said.

Prabowo assessed that B50 is not only about fuel technology. He called this program a way for Indonesia to use its own natural wealth for the benefit of the people.

"This is proof that Indonesia is able to utilize its own natural wealth for the benefit of its own people," said Prabowo.