We need to migrate immediately
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Bambang Soesatyo encouraged the community to migrate from using fuel vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) in a bid to lower air pollution.

"We need to migrate immediately," he stressed at the Indonesia Electric Motor Show 2022 (IEMS 2022) at the Jakarta Convention Center here on Thursday.

Soesatyo noted that migration to electric transportation is deemed crucial to reduce air pollution, as 60 percent of the air had been polluted by emissions from fuel combustion.

In addition, migration to electric transportation will help to reduce the burden of fuel subsidies borne by the government.


Related news: Cost still a huge hurdle to motorcycle conversion: ministry

Soesatyo noted that based on the Police Traffic Corps' data, the number of motor vehicles in Indonesia had surpassed 150 million.

"When multiplied by an average of five liters, imagine how many barrels (of fuel) we have to spend and how much rupiah we have to spend as subsidies," he further added.

Soesatyo opined that the fund can instead be allocated to boost the country's education and health sectors.

"We will help reduce the compensation for fuel that has currently reached Rp689 trillion, or Rp195 trillion higher than what the government has allocated in 2022," he remarked.


Related news: Govt urges stakeholders to collaborate to push economically-priced EVs


He noted that migration to using electric vehicles can also be an alternative solution to lower dependence on oil and gas imports.

"This is also important, so that our state budget is not drained by the burden of imports of oil and gas from several countries, and the prices are also continuously rising," he remarked.

Soesatyo, concurrently serving as general chairperson of the Indonesian Motor Association (IMI), also highlighted that migration to using electric vehicles is also crucial, considering the depletion of oil and gas resources in the future. "Thus, we really have to get ready before the energy really runs out," he stressed.


Related news: Bali to designate EV-only zones at tourist attractions in 2023

Related news: Pos Indonesia encourages its couriers to use electric motorcycles

Translator: Melalusa Susthira, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022