Iskindo Supports The Government For Subsidized Fuel Saluring For Fishermen Through A Barcode Scan

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Marine Bachelors Association (Iskindo) M. Riza Damanik welcomed the government's steps through the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, as well as the Ministry of SOEs to accelerate the strengthening of the small fishing business ecosystem in obtaining the purchase of fuel oil (BBM) through a barcode scan.

"It's very good (scan barcode). In our opinion, it is fitting because so far the issue related to fuel oil is related to quota," said Riza in the Pasar Minggu area, South Jakarta, Monday, February 20.

According to him, so far many parties have paid more attention to the provision of quotas for fuel distribution for fishermen. However, actually, there are many things that always go unnoticed, one of which is that the basic infrastructure infrastructure for the distribution of fuel, namely the Fisherman's Public Fuel Filling Station (SPBN) is still limited.

"For example, we have 11 thousand fishing villages in Indonesia, consider 11 thousand, only half of which fishermen are active, so there are around 5 thousand coastal villages in Indonesia that are active fishermen, while we only have 388 places for distribution of gas station fuel. So, it's very unequal," said Riza.

Riza assessed that no matter how much fuel the government allocates, if without adequate infrastructure, fishermen will buy fuel in retail, because the number of SPBN is still limited. Therefore, Iskindo supports the initiation of purchasing fuel through a barcode scan to make it easier for fishermen.

"So, no matter how much fuel quota we allocate, of course the fishermen will not buy it at the same price set by the government. They will buy it in retail because the gas station is limited in number," he said.

"Well, that's why we support what was initiated by the Ministry of Cooperatives and the Ministry of SOEs to accelerate the strengthening of our small fishing business ecosystem by completing the fuel oil earlier," he added.

Later, said Riza, the SPBN managed by the system Cooperative will be closed. This means that fishermen who receive subsidized fuel from the cooperative must have been registered with the cooperative concerned. Then, the cooperative will collect data on fishermen to be given paper in the form of a barcode scan to buy subsidized fuel.

"Well, later (the parties) of the cooperative will record them (the fishermen), so they don't come with cellphones, just bring the barcode that has been printed," he concluded.