"Indonesias current fuel reserves can only suffice for 19 days. This lags far behind the reserves maintained by other countries," YLKI Executive Chairman Tulus Abadi noted in written statement here on Thursday.
Abadi remarked that Indonesias fuel reserves were lower than those stocked up by other ASEAN countries. For instance, Myanmar had adequate fuel stocks to meet its needs for three months.
Japan and South Korea have fuel reserves, which can last for four months. With such low reserves, Indonesia could possibly face a fuel crisis.
"Therefore, the YLKI has called on the government to increase its fuel reserves, which are adequate for at least 30 days. The government should seriously build storage tanks to increase its fuel oil stocks," Abadi stated.
The government has decided to reduce the prices of Premium gasoline and subsidized diesel fuel by Rp500 per liter, which will come into effect from midnight of April 1, 2016.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said announced the governments decision after attending a limited cabinet meeting on Premium and diesel fuels price adjustment at the Presidential Office on Wednesday.
"We decided to slash the price of Premium fuel from Rp6,950 per liter to Rp6,450 per liter and diesel oil from Rp5,650 per liter to Rp5,150 per liter. We have not changed the price of kerosene," Minister Said stated.
Pertamina earlier announced that it had reduced the prices of its non-subsidized or non-public service obligation (PSO) fuel types such as Pertamax, Pertamax Plus, Pertamina Dex, and Pertalite by Rp200 per liter, effective from March 30, 2016.
"In mid-March, Pertamina had cut the prices of non-PSO fuels by Rp200 per liter and became effective on March 15. Now, it has reduced them again by Rp200 per liter, which will come into effect as of midnight of March 30, 2016," Pertaminas Vice President Corporate Communication, Wianda Pusponegoro, noted in a press statement on Tuesday (March 28)
Pusponegoro said with the decision to cut the prices of non-PSO fuels, the price of Pertamax in Jakarta was reduced from Rp7,750 per liter to Rp7,550 per liter; Pertalite, from Rp7,300 per liter to Rp7,100 per liter; and Pertamax Plus, from Rp8,650 per liter to Rp8,450 per liter.
The price of Pertamina Dex was lowered from Rp8,600 per liter to Rp8,400 per liter and that of non-subsidized bio-diesel from Rp7,150 per liter to Rp6,950 per liter.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
