"We will organize a team to check on it so people (can be sure) that they buy fuel based on the right specifications and price," he said here on Wednesday.
Concerning the purchase of RON 90 and RON 92, he underlined the importance of improving the arrangement of fuel import permits.
Currently, he said, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is seeking to fix the issue by granting fuel import permits for six months, and not one year, at a time.
"Now, we issue fuel import permits not for a period of one year at a time. We are renewing the period to six months, with evaluation every three months," he expounded.
In addition, he said, the government will seek to process crude oil domestically.
"Later, we will order good oil to be blended," he informed.
The Attorney General’s Office has arrested three Pertamina executives, including the president director of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, Riva Siahaan, over alleged corruption relating to oil imports that cost the state US$12 billion.
Investigators found indications that the suspects intentionally arranged policies to reduce domestic refinery oil production, paving the way for large-scale imports.
However, according to the applicable regulations, domestic crude oil supply must be prioritized before importing from other countries.
The Attorney General's Office stated that in the procurement of refinery products by Pertamina Patra Niaga, Riva made purchases or payments for RON 92 fuel, when, in fact, RON 90 or lower grade fuel was bought.
The purchased fuel was blended at storages or depots to produce RON 92.
PT Pertamina denied the news that its RON 92 fuel (Pertamax) was mixed with RON 90 fuel (Pertalite), assuring that the Pertamax it currently sells meets specifications.
"We ensure that the products that have reached the consumers are in accordance with their respective specifications," Pertamina's vice president of corporate communications, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, said on Tuesday.
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Translator: Putu Indah Savitri, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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