We must carefully assess the impact of the price hike particularly on the inflation rate.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government is anticipating the possibility of certain quarters hoarding subsidized gasoline and diesel oil ahead of its announcement on subsidized fuel price hike, Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Susilo Siswoutomo said.
The government has involved all relevant parties including police and military personnel, downstream oil and gas regulatory body (BPH Migas) officers, regional governments and state oil and gas company PT Pertamina to anticipate the possibility of certain quarters hoarding the subsidized fuels, he said here on Thursday.
"We anticipate the possibility of certain quarters trying to capitalize on the situation by hoarding fuel oils," he said.
It is difficult to deal with abuse of subsidized fuels, he said.
He predicted that 5 percent of the fuel oil quota set in the 2013 state budget will be smuggled.
With the quota of subsidized fuel oils reaching 46 million kiloliters in the 2013 state budget, at least 2.3 million kiloliters will be abused, he said.
He said the government is also anticipating the possibility of commodity prices going up ahead of fuel price hike by speeding up deliberation on the draft revision of the 2013 state budget.
"Of course, we must carefully assess the impact of the price hike particularly on the inflation rate," he said.
He asked Pertamina to focus on using information technology system to control the distribution of subsidized diesel oil.
(Reporting by Kelik Dewanto/S012/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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