"I think as of May Pertamina will be able to realize it."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan said filling stations at posh areas would start supplying only non-subsidized gasoline as of May.
The minister said here on Thursday initially state-owned oil/gas company Pertamina would select five areas for pertamax only distribution including Pondok Indah neighborhood.
"I think as of May Pertamina will be able to realize it," the minister said when asked about the issue at the national meeting on national development planning.
Dahlan said Pertamina is now still mapping filling stations located in areas populated mostly by owners of luxurious cars. After identifying them, analysis would then be carried to determine if they are appropriate for serving pertamax only.
"For the time being there are five areas where the filling stations there would serve only pertamax," he said adding other areas are Bintaro and Menteng.
The minister admitted the move was taken to reduce the rich`s inclination to use subsidized gasoline which hopefully will reduce the use of the gasoline significantly.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the meeting said ministers and other state officials must reduce their use of subsidized gasoline.
In connection with that the government would launch national subsidized gasoline saving and control movement.
"Subsidized gasoline is supposed to be used by the economically weak community members and therefore it is unfair and inappropriate if the well-off to subsidized gasoline and in turn reduce the national budget which is needed to build infrastructure," he said.
Initially the government planned to raise the price of subsidized gasoline as of April to reduce oil subsidy. The proposal however was turned down by the House of Representatives.
(Uu.KR-SSB/H-YH/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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