Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The government is preparing a road map to divert the use of fuel oil (BBM) which is not environmentally friendly. In this case, it is Ron 88 or Premium gasoline and also Ron 90 or Pertalite gasoline to a more environmentally friendly fuel, namely Pertamax Cs.
However, this regulation is still waiting for President Joko Widodo’s approval through the ratification of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres).
The issue of removing Premium gasoline is not the first time that has surfaced. Since several years ago, the government has been discussing the abolition of premium gasoline, but so far it has not been realized.
Last August, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif also admitted that premium gasoline had begun to be reduced and gradually removed from public fuel filling stations (SPBU). The public is also encouraged to consume fuel with a higher RON in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
According to him, many countries have abandoned Premium, and only four countries are still consuming Premium, one of them is Indonesia.
“Premium sales outlets are being reduced slowly, especially during the pandemic, crude falls, substitution with Pertalite, the aim is to improve fuel quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions because we are still in the four countries that use Premium,” said Arifin, quoted Sunday (12/26). /2021).
If Jokowi ratifies the Presidential Regulation regarding abolishing Premium BBM in Indonesia, he will be listed as the first President of the Republic of Indonesia who dares to abolish Premium BBM in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the previous government only stuck to reducing fuel subsidies and increasing the price of premium fuel in the community. Such is the policy carried out by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) where in May 2008 he issued a policy to increase the price of fuel, including premium gasoline, diesel, and subsidized kerosene.
When he first served as President in 2014, Jokowi had made a significant policy by eliminating Premium subsidies starting January 1, 2015.
But unfortunately, this policy is inconsistent because the government still intervenes in the price of Premium and does not allow it to fluctuate like non-subsidized fuel products.
With the reason of maintaining people’s purchasing power, the government finally intervened in setting the Premium price and assigned PT Pertamina (Persero) to distribute this Premium BBM. As a result, the government is still blocking the difference between the economic price and the selling price of Premium to Pertamina every year.
In fact, the Oil and Gas Governance Reform Team, also known as the Anti Oil and Gas Mafia Team, which was deliberately formed during the era of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said, had recommended that Premium gasoline be phased out no later than 2017, two years after this recommendation was issued.
(Cha Cha dance)
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