"If fuel oil prices are not raised, fuel oil distribution will be limited and I think it will finish in August, so people will face problems next September or December," the minister said during a lecture at the Surabaya-based Institute of Technology (ITS) here on Saturday.
He added that the budget, based upon fuel oil subsidies, was set at Rp132 trillion. Since these funds would be depleted by August, the public is expected to face problems obtaining fuel by September or December.
"We will face a problem with the limitation and it is the people who will face the problem. Some say this is politics that is related to the 2014 legislative elections and the presidential race," he said.
However, he added, he did not know about politics so he asked students of the ITS to assist the public so they would not suffer from fuel problems.
"We have enough time until August, you should be able to create equipment similar to a smart card which is connected to readers and their data base containing their vehicle numbers and their quota for subsidized fuel oils," the minister stressed.(*)
(A014/KR-BSR/H-YH)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
