"If it can, the government should not raise the price of fuel oil because it will burden the people," NU Central Board Chairman Said Aqil Siroj said here on Monday.
He said that raising fuel oil prices should be taken as the last resort and the decision to increase it must be accounted for.
"If the government is forced to do it, where subsidy has continued to burden the state budget and the government has taken the decision, then there is no problem to increase it but it should be a last resort," Siroj said.
Referring to the government plan to provide a direct assistance, Siroj said that the assistance should meet its target, namely the people who had the right to receive it, and it should be able to give them added values.
He said compensation should be provided in the form of empowerment such as working capital, educational subsidy and others that improve their welfare.
"We do not agree if the compensation is given in the form of direct cash assistance (BLT) because it does not empower them," the NU chairman said.
The government has proposed to options to the House of Representatives, namely the first option is that the government raised the prices of subsidized premium gasoline by Rp1,500 from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter and diesel oil by Rp1,500 from Rp4,500 to Rp6,000 per liter.
The second option is that the government provides a fixed subsidy of Rp2,000 per liter for both types of fuel oil. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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