We also arrested 23 people (on charges of abusing subsidized fuel oil) and they are undergoing legal process.Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The Aceh Provincial Police disclosed 17 cases of subsidized fuel oil abuse from August 24 to September 4, 2022.
During the raid conducted in the past 10 days, the police also seized 7,182 liters of subsidized fuel oil as evidence, Director of Special Crime Investigation of the Aceh Provincial Police Senior Commissioner Sony Sonjaya stated here on Sunday.
The several cases of subsidized fuel oil abuse suggested that the violation of subsidized fuel oil distribution in Aceh Province is quite high, he remarked.
Of the 17 cases of subsidized fuel oil abuse, one was found in Banda Aceh City, with 900 liters; two in Aceh Tamiang District, with 425 liters; two in North Aceh District, with 525 liters; two in East Aceh District, with 276 liters; and one in Bireuen District, with 1,080 liters.
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Two other cases were respectively found in South Aceh, with 2,280 liters; and Nagan Raya District, with 590 liters; while one case was respectively found in Pidie District, with 155 liters; Gayo Lues District, with 230 liters; Aceh Jaya District, with 211 liters; Langsa District, with 390 liters; and Subulussalam District, with 120 liters.
"We also arrested 23 people (on charges of abusing subsidized fuel oil), and they are undergoing the legal process," he said.
The government raised the prices of fuel oil on Saturday (Sept 2).
Speaking at a press conference at the Merdeka Palace on that day, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif stated that the price of subsidized Pertalite fuel has been revised to Rp10 thousand per liter, from Rp7,650 per liter, starting 2:30 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB) on Saturday.
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The government has also revised the price of subsidized diesel, from Rp5,150 per liter to Rp6,800 per liter. Meanwhile, the price of non-subsidized Pertamax fuel has been raised, from Rp12,500 per liter to Rp14,500 per liter.
At the same press conference, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government resorted to increasing fuel prices because its spending on subsidizing the prices continued to increase despite the recent decline in global oil prices.
She said that the government made several calculations regarding the changes in Indonesian crude oil prices (ICP) and their impact on subsidies offered in the 2022 state budget.
Assuming an ICP of below US$90 per barrel or an average price of US$97 to US$99 per barrel throughout the year, the energy subsidy spending would still increase from the budget allocated by the government of Rp502.4 trillion to Rp653 trillion.
Even with an ICP of US$85 per barrel, the subsidy would increase, from Rp502 trillion to Rp640 trillion, she added.
"Hence, there will be an increase of around Rp137 trillion to Rp151 trillion depending on the ICP," Indrawati noted.
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Translator: M. Haris Setiady A, Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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