Fans Of Rising Fuel Prices, House Speaker Puan Maharani Says There Has Been No Official Proposal From The Government

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government has not submitted any official documents to the House of Representatives (DPR) regarding the discourse on adjusting the price of fuel oil (BBM) which is now being widely reported by the media. This was known from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, when she answered reporters' statements in Jakarta.

"Until now there has been no proposal from the government to increase fuel prices," he said after attending the MPR Annual Session on August 16.

Puan explained that the strategic regulation related to the selling price of domestic fuel oil is the right of the government. Meanwhile, the DPR as a representation of the Indonesian people only gives approval or rejection of the proposed figures.

"Technically, the decision or policy on whether or not to increase fuel is the government's authority," he said.

The same mechanism has been applied by the government when it agreed to increase the 2022 fuel subsidy from around Rp 100 trillion per year to more than Rp 500 trillion last May.

As reported by the editors, the potential for an increase in energy prices is quite open considering that the quota for fuel that receives government funding assistance continues to run low. This condition is not accompanied by the ability to provide funds in the state budget so that inevitably the government must take the option of adjusting the price tag in order to maintain the health of state financial instruments.