Jakarta –
Member of Commission VII DPR Democrat Party Faction Muhammad Nasir requested that PT PLN (Persero) competed in the market for coal in two meetings. He assessed that PLN had difficulty getting coal supplies because it had to buy according to the domestic market obligation (DMO).
In a hearing (RDP) between Commission VII and the Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Ridwan Djamaluddin and PLN President Director Zulkifli Zaini, Nazaruddin’s younger brother said that PLN must be brave to compete because other commodities have risen in price.
“If PLN wants to get goods, I see it must be brave to compete because of cement, PT Semen has raised the price to US$ 90 while PLN has not increased it,” he said, Monday (11/15/2021).
He said that because he did not want to compete, the director of the subsidiary resigned because of the difficulty in finding coal. Because, according to him, it is better for coal entrepreneurs to export and pay a fine than selling it domestically or PLN, which is cheaper.
On that occasion, Nasir even suggested that the President Director and Deputy President Director of PLN be replaced.
“So actually coal is the prima donna today, sir. So if you don’t compete, you can get coal. That’s all. I suggest that the leadership, if possible, with the Minister, we ask the President Director and Deputy Managing Director to be replaced, look for good people who understand trading so that there are no more shortages,” he explained.
The next day, during a working meeting with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif, Nasir still asked PLN to buy coal at the market price. This means that PLN must buy coal at a higher price.
“So we also ask PLN to also have the courage to compete in the market. Because if the price of coal does not increase, PLN will be unable to find coal,” he said.
“Because exports are good, local prices are good, but PLN doesn’t want to increase prices, but he insists on DMO only, the owner of the stone is better off paying a fine than selling it to PLN, sir,” he added.
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