Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United Development Party (PPP) has expressed optimism that the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government will agree on the amount of fuel subsidy before April 1.

"Both the House faction leaders and the government are holding a marathon meeting. God willing we will reach an agreement before April 1," PPP Secretary General M. Romahurmuziy said on Sunday.

He said no agreement on the amount of fuel subsidy had been reached due to lack of information and background underlying a decision to set the amount of fuel subsidy.

The government and the House failed to agree on the amount of fuel subsidy at their marathon meeting which ended at 04.00 a.m. on Sunday.

The House factions were divided over the amount of fuel subsidy. The Democrat Party, the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP) accept the government-proposed fuel subsidy of Rp137 trillion, with fiscal risk reserves amounting to Rp23 trillion.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party meanwhile support the second proposal which sets the amount of fuel subsidy at Rp178 trillion, with fiscal risk reserves amounting to Rp26 trillion.

Neither the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) nor the People`s Conscience Party (Hanura) has decided their stand on the two proposals.

The government and the House are expected to resume their working meeting on Sunday evening to decide one of the two options.

The government plans to raise the price of subsidized gasoline and diesel oil by respectively Rp1,500 to Rp6,000 a liter as of April 1, citing a surge in fuel subsidy as a result of spiraling global crude prices.

Global crude price is hovering above US$120 a barrel, well above the assumed oil price of US$90 a barrel in the 2012 state budget.

The House and the government have agreed to set average oil price at US$105 a barrel.
(T.M041/Uu.S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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