REFUELING STATIONS TO SELL PREMIUM GASOLINE AGAIN

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 19 (Antara) - The lower quality Research Octane Number 88 (R0N-88) Premium gasoline will come back to gasoline refueling stations (SPBU) in Jakarta and other regions in Java, Madura and Bali (Jamali).         According to Acting President Director of state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati, a total of 1,926 SPBUs will serve consumers in Jamali again after stopping selling premium for a few years.         The government, through Presidential Regulation No. 191 Year of 2014, has regulated that the  subsidized or Public Service Obligation Premium gasoline is only sold in regions outside Jamali. Premium sold in Jamali is no longer subsidized.         Since then, Premium has disappeared in many SPBUs in Jamali. At the same time state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina introduced to consumers its relatively better quality gasoline, the RON-90 Pertalite.         The basic idea of restricting the sale of subsidized Premium in Jamali is to encourage the financially capable consumers to migrate to non-subsidized fuels, which relatively has better quality such as Pertalite, Pertamax, and Pertamax Turbo.         However, the government has decided to bring back Premium to refueling stations in Jamali. After all, it has been successful in encouraging consumers to migrate to Pertalite and other higher quality fuels.

IDEA TO STOP PREMIUM SALE IN JAKARTA NEEDS DISCUSSIONS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 6 (Antara) - The idea of Jakarta Governor Basuku Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) to stop the sale of Premium gasoline in Jakarta has triggered public responses as it was seen as lacking grounds and is ineffective.         The Jakarta governor has raised the idea to stop the sale of Premium in Jakarta and encourage the people to use public transportation. Therefore, subsidy for premium should better be used for developing public transportation, according to Ahok.          "We are as the Jakarta residents should no longer consume Premium. The subsidy should be better be used for developing public transportation so that people would no longer use their private vehicles but change it to public transportation," he was quoted as saying by detikfinance, in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta on Tuesday.          According to the Indonesian Consumers Institute (YLKI),  Ahok's idea to stop the sale of Premium gasoline in Jakarta in order to encourage use of public transportation will not be effective.  "Before taking such a step, the public transport facilities need to be improved. Public transportation network should be expanded to make all corners of the city accessible. Just stopping the sale of a premium fuel will not be effective," YLKI Chairman Tulus Abadi said on Friday.