"I have heard that gas exports to Singapore would be stopped to meet the need for gas at home. I don`t think it should be totally stopped all at once," Industry Minister MS Hidayat said over the weekend.
He also called for the immediate construction of floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in order to reduce dependence on gas import, or the state gas company should ask a gas quota from the government.
"This is actually not permanent but all we need is ensure that gas stocks for the state could be maintained," Minister Hidayat said.
Besides to the gas stock problems, the government should also pay attention to renovating its gas pipe-line networks.
He said that the government needed to exercise cautiousness in deciding gas prices. Commercial-based prices could be fixed as far as the volumes of gas stocks were big.
The controversies over the plan to stop gas exports to Singapore came to the surface following the government`s option to giving priorities to gas supplies for domestic needs.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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