Pertamax Rises But Pertalite Doesn't, Social Media Activist: For Kadrun Who Are Sarcastic, Do You Use Pertamax?

Illustration of people filling fuel oil or Pertalite fuel at Pertamina gas stations. (Between)

JAKARTA - Social media activist Chusnul Chotimah objected to those who criticized the government's policy to increase Pertamax fuel. Because according to him, Pertamax has always been lucky for middle to upper class vehicle drivers.

He explained that Pertalite, whose allocation was for the lower class, still received subsidies from the government, so the tariffs were declared as usual. Therefore, Chusnul was surprised by the parties who questioned it.

"Pertamax is the one that uses the rich, thank you Mr. Jkw and Erick Thohir the pertalite didn't go up and was given a subsidy. For Kadrun who was cynical, did you use Pertamax? Besides, if Pertamax was given a subsidy, you guys were cynical, why not cooking oil, right? " he said on his Twitter account, @ChusnulCh__, Thursday, March 31.

The Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir said that Pertamax fuel was not categorized as Special Assignment Fuel (JBKP) or subsidized fuel, in contrast to Pertalite. He also apologized for the Pertalite type of fuel that had to go up

"Yes, the government has decided that Pertalite will be used as a subsidy, not for Pertamax. So if Pertamax goes up, I'm sorry, but Pertalite will still be subsidized," he said while giving a public lecture at Hasanudin University Makassar, Wednesday, March 30.

Erick explained, in conditions of economic growth that was still crawling towards normal as before the COVID-19 pandemic, the government could not only rely on income from taxes. Therefore, state-owned companies must pay dividends to the state.

He said the dividends obtained by the state from state-owned companies were used to provide subsidies to the public. One of them is the Pertalite type of fuel subsidy.

Erick added that the state must spend very deep to provide fuel subsidies to the community. In fact, the amount reaches trillions of rupiah. This includes electricity subsidies for 450 VA customers.

"But that is the government's policy where fuel subsidies reach tens of trillions. Yesterday 450 electricity was free of social assistance and others. So the government is here," he said.