Jakarta, March 28 (Antara) - The government has raised the prices of
premium gasoline and diesel fuel by Rp500 per liter, respectively, which
is effective on Saturday, March 28.
The prices of premium gasoline were raised from Rp6,800 to Rp7,300 per
liter for regions outside Java, Madura and Bali (Jamali), and from
Rp6,900 to R7,400 for regions in Jamali.
The government also hiked the price of subsidized diesel oil from
Rp6,400 per liter to Rp6,900 per liter both for regions inside and
outside Java, Madura and Bali.
"Both types of fuel prices have been increased by Rp500 per liter," I
Gusti Nyoman Wiratmaja, acting director general of oil and gas, said
while announcing the price hikes on Friday.
This was the second time that the government raised the gasoline and
diesel oil prices in March after increasing them earlier on March 1.
Wiratmaja stated that the prices were raised in accordance with the
increase in global crude prices and the weakening of the local rupiah
currency against the U.S. dollar. "Yet, the government has taken the
decision after taking into account social economic stability, commodity
prices and logistics management," he added.
Energy
and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Sudirman Said noted that although
fuel prices had followed market price mechanisms, the government had
remained the final authority for determining whether or not prices would
be changed.
"This is because the government has to take into consideration social
and economic conditions, as well as the burden of the people before
deciding on a price hike," Minister Said remarked.
The Chief Economic Minister, who is accompanying President Joko Widodo
on a state visit to China, said on Saturday that the increase in
gasoline premium had been decided by the government.
He added that the government had lifted the subsidy for premium
gasoline, though it was still in place at Rp1000 per liter for diesel
oil. As the premium was no longer subsidized, its price had followed the
market mechanism.
Djalil
pointed out that fuel prices in Indonesia would be decided by the
government, based on the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) where
prices would be decided by the government based on the fuel's economic
viability.
"The announcement on the increase in the fuel oil prices has to be made
by the Director General of Oil and Gas at ESDM (it is no longer made by
the minister)," Djalil explained.
He stated that given such a mechanism, the impact of fuel price increases on inflation would be very small.
In response to the government's decision to raise premium gasoline and
diesel oil prices on Saturday, energy expert Komaidi Notonegoro, from
the ReforMiner Institute, said it was reasonable for the government to
raise the prices of these two types of fuels.
He said it was in accordance with the Presidential Decision, which
stipulates that premium gasoline was no longer subsidized. Thus it had
followed the market price mechanism.
"If it refers to the variables of oil prices and the rupiah's exchange
rate value, then premium gasoline and diesel oil should be hiked again,"
he said earlier on Thursday.
Based
on the ReforMiner Institute's calculations, premium gasoline¿s economic
viability has reached Rp8,200 to Rp8,500 per liter. The calculation is
based on the international reference price of MOPS (Mean of Platts
Singapore) gasoline, which is about US$70 per barrel.
"This means that if the government is consistent with the elimination
of the subsidy, the premium gasoline price should be raised to a level
above RpRp8,00 per liter," Notonegoro said.
He, however, admitted that the government had the authority to decide
the price of fuel based on the Constitution. If the government had not
taken any decision on the price hike, it meant the government was still
considering a more important variable.
"In that case, it is possible that the government is still evaluating
the people's purchasing power and aspects of its political risks. This
is because fuel oil policies in Indonesia are full of political
nuances," Notonegoro added.
Yet, based on data from www.globalpetrolprices.com site, the economic
viability value of fuel in Indonesia on March 23 was still low. The
website quoted the lowest price at Rp6,893 per liter in Malaysia. The
country's prices were slightly lower than Indonesia's Rp6,900 per liter.
Fuel prices in Vietnam, India, Thailand, China and Japan are far higher
than in Indonesia. Even fuel prices in Singapore touched Rp19,433 per
liter and in Hong Kong at Rp24,761 per liter.
The Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Economics
and Finance (Indef), Enny Sri Hartati, said the government's step
towards raising premium gasoline and diesel oil prices indicated the
absence of good economic management concepts.
She criticized the government for following a management model that is comparable to a coffee shop management.
"The management of the state is increasingly unclear. It is like a
coffee shop's management," Enny was quoted by Kompas.com online media on
Friday.
The government's management, especially in the economic sector, tended
to be reactive and had a short-term orientation as reflected in its
policy to eliminate the fuel oil subsidy.
The elimination of the subsidy had led to fuel prices following the
market mechanism. Fuel prices had fluctuated and followed global crude
prices. The concept was not clear.
She said the government had not adopted good policy planning.
"Eliminating the fuel subsidy means the government has not made any
comprehensive calculation. We agree with the subsidy reduction, yet the
way the government implementing it is irrational," she argued.
However,
a legislator of the Golkar Party, who is also a member of Commission
VII on energy affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR), Dito
Ganinduto, lauded the government's decision to increase the price of
premium gasoline and diesel oil.
He said the government's fluctuating fuel oil price policy had a
positive impact on the state budget, and had resulted in the prevention
of smuggling and misappropriation of fuel oils.
"We appeal to the government to consistently maintain the policy it has adopted," Guninduto said.
But he also asked the government to consider the social and political
aspects of raising fuel oil prices. "The government should be careful in
projecting the future price so that it can set a longer-term price, and
not change it every month," the legislator said.
This meant that the government should frame a cross-subsidy concept,
where there is a surplus that could cover losses if prices are on the
rise.
"If the market price is declining, the government can save and when the
price is rising the government can maintain it at its current price
level. Thus, the prices of oil at home will not change too often,"
Guninduto added. ***3***
(T.A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 28-03-2015 17:34:2 |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar