Terungkap! Pertamina Gelontorkan Rp10 Triliun Untuk Tahan Harga Pertamax Selang Januari-August 2022

Pertamina gas station employee. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed that PT Pertamina (Persero) poured Rp10 trillion to keep the price of non-subsidized fuel oil (BBM) from rising during January to August 2022.

In fact, continued Erick, at that time world oil prices were said to have increased rapidly. In early 2022, world oil prices are known to have penetrated up to 100 dollars per barrel.

Furthermore, Erick said this is proof that the government wants to maintain the community's ability in the midst of rising commodity prices.

"President Jokowi ordered all of us, at a time when the price of materials for people's lives rose, Pertamina did not increase prices, even though the price of the market fuel, from January to August, was more or less helping through Pertamina of approximately Rp. 10 trillion," Erick told reporters, Tuesday, January 3.

Erick said, the increase in world oil prices also affected the selling price of non-subsidized fuel sold by Pertamina. This is because the formula for determining it is to follow market prices.

Based on the data he received, Erick said the world oil price had touched 87 US dollars per barrel, and gradually fell to 79 US dollars per barrel. So, price adjustments need to be made for the products of Pertamax, Pertamax Turbo, Pertamina Dex, and Dexlite.

"This is actually a fuel market price, so it's not fuel that is assisted by the government (with) subsidies. Even then, the government through Pertamina helps up to Rp. 10 trillion, from January to August, there has only been an increase," he said.

Erick said, due to the decline in world oil prices, his party also held a meeting with Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, and Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati. The goal is to formulate the latest price for Pertamax Cs.

"Now the world oil price is down to 79 dollars (per barrel), because yesterday, before the new year, we had a meeting of three ministers. There is the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, I, Mrs. Nicke were invited at that time, to project how the market price is, which is not assisted by the government," he said.

Erick said, for fuel with market prices such as Pertamax, it should follow the development of prices in the market.