Rising Fuel, President Jokowi: This Is The Last Pilihan Pemerintah

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially announced that the price of fuel oil (BBM) will increase as of today, Saturday, September 3. Jokowi said the fuel subsidy would be diverted for more targeted assistance. "This is the government's last choice, namely diverting fuel subsidies. Thus, the prices of several types of fuel that have received subsidies will be adjusted," Jokowi said at a press conference, Saturday, September 3. Jokowi personally said that he actually wanted the domestic fuel price to be affordable by providing a subsidy for the state budget. However, he said the fuel subsidy budget would continue to rise. "But the subsidy budget and compensation for fuel in 2022 has increased 3 times from Rp152.5 trillion to Rp502.4 trillion and will continue to increase," he said. Moreover, said Jokowi, currently 70 percent of fuel subsidies are mostly used by capable economic groups, namely private car owners. "The state's money should be prioritized to subsidize the poor. And at this time the government must make decisions at a difficult time," he said. Therefore, Jokowi said the increase in fuel prices was the government's last choice. "And some of the fuel subsidies will be diverted for more targeted assistance. The BBM direct cash assistance (BLT) is IDR 12.4 trillion which is given to 20.65 million underprivileged families of IDR 150 thousand per month and will be given in September for 4 months," he said.