Member Of The House Of Representatives For The Assessment Of Non-Subsidized Fuel Prices

Non-Subsidized fuel (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VII DPR RI Mulyanto appreciates the decision of PT Pertamina (Persero) which lowers the prices of three types of non-subsidized fuel, namely Pertamax Turbo, Dexlite, and Pertamina Dex, because they are in line with the contraction in the value of world oil prices.

"I think this is the right decision, because the price of world oil has continued to fall since last June 2022, from the original price of 120 US dollars per barrel to close to 90 dollars per barrel," he said, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, September 3.

Moreover, according to him, as far as he is concerned, Pertamina has never lowered the price of non-subsidized general fuel prices like this. Mulyanto said that this means that the decline in world oil prices since June 2022 has started to bring fresh air to Indonesia.

He argues that the same logic can apply to Pertalite and diesel subsidized fuel.

The two types of fuel, he said, do not have the urgency to increase amid the decline in world oil prices.

"Now this is the right momentum for the government to organize the subsidized fuel distribution problem structure so that it is more targeted," he said.

According to Mulyanto, the prohibition on the use of subsidized fuel to users of luxury cars remains important, so that the state budget is more efficient and the provision of fuel subsidies really fulfills a sense of justice, which is only given to people who cannot afford it.

The price of Pertamax Turbo as of September 1, 2022, fell to Rp. 15,900 per liter from the previous Rp. 17,900 per liter.

Then, the price of diesel Dexlite fell to Rp. 17,100 per liter from Rp. 17,800 per liter, and the price of Pertamina Dex fell to Rp. 17,400 per liter from Rp. 18,900 per liter in the August 2022 period.

Previously, former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said said the adjustment to fuel oil prices (BBM) was aimed at the long term and not just for the next few years.

"(The adjustment to the fuel price) cannot be seen from one presidential period, but in the long term it is sustainable," he said.

He said the fuel subsidy is better to be reallocated for more productive needs, such as the development of new and renewable energy (EBT), so as to reduce dependence on fossil energy, as well as maximize the potential of natural resources in Indonesia.

"We have imported half of our fuel needs, while there is an unexplored EBT potential, that may be maximized for the future," he said.

Meanwhile, in the short term, according to the Minister of the Working Cabinet for the 2014-2019 period, fuel price adjustments are the most important to save the state budget posture first.