Dahlan Puts LPG Price on Pertamina's Hands
14 August 2014 21:50 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan, refused to comment on Pertamina's plan to increase the price of 12-kilogram LPG. He said on Thursday, August 14, 2014, that such matter was the company's decision.
According to Dahlan, the gas price issue should be the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry's concern. He confirmed that any decision related to energy subsidy was on ESDM Ministry's hands.
Earlier, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Chairul Tanjung, said that the government would not necessarily approve Pertamina's proposal to increase 12-kilogram LPG price this month. Chairul claimed that the gas price increase-both subsidized and non-subsidized-had to be approved by the government.
Meanwhile, Pertamina spokesperson Ali Mundakir, said that Pertamina has the rights to increase the 12-kilogram LPG price without having to wait for an approval from the government. By the first semester of this year, according to Ali, Pertamina had suffered a US$ 234.2 million losses and would continue to double by the end of this year if the gas price remained the same.
GANGSAR PARIKESIT