We are doing our best.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has said that he is coordinating with Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Teten Masduki to allow cooperatives to provide subsidized diesel to fishermen.

The effort has been made since there are only 388 gas stations for fishermen (SPBNs), which serve a total of 11 thousand fishing villages, Trenggono informed during a meeting with Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) here on Monday.

He emphasized that his ministry is strongly committed to assisting the fishermen, especially in the midst of the current increase in fuel prices.

The government is striving to improve fishermen’s welfare by facilitating access to subsidized fuel for small fishermen.

"The short-term attempt (to assist the fishermen) is by providing fuel as much as possible, thus it (the fuel supply) does not run out," Trenggono said.

The KKP Ministry is also coordinating with state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina and the Downstream Oil and Gas Industry Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) to increase the subsidized fuel quota for each center distributing fuel to fishermen, he informed.

He further said that the government has identified regions experiencing a shortage of subsidized fuel supply.

"We are doing our best. Since the fuel procurement policy is managed by Pertamina while the distribution policy is carried out by BPH Migas, we are coordinating closely (with the enterprise and agency)," he added.

Earlier, Secretary General of the KKP Ministry Antam Novambar had said that in addition to cooperating with Pertamina and BPH Migas, his ministry is also working with the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) to ensure that fishermen and business actors can get non-subsidized fuel prices at special prices.

Furthermore, he said that the government has continued to encourage the private sector and cooperatives to assist in building SPBNs.

The government is also building a fishing vessel ownership system to make subsidized fuel distribution more targeted, faster, and simpler.





Translator: Ade Junida, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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