TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry's special staffer, Arya Sinulingga, revealed the actual jobs mandated to Basuki Tjahaja Purnama a.k.a. Ahok who was recently appointed as Pertamina chief commissioner.

Different from rumors saying that the former Jakarta governor was tasked to combat mafias within the state institution, Basuki was asked to lower the country’s dependence on oil and gas imports.

“[To focus] on how to reduce fuel imports,” said Arya at SOE Ministry, Central Jakarta, November 26.

Arya mentioned several strategies to lower the import, including by implementing renewable energy and developing B30 biofuel.

Basuki, Arya added, was also asked to settle the Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) project, such as one in Cilacap, and the cooperation between Pertamina and Saudi Aramco that had been kicked off four years ago.

“The point is, [Ahok has the job] to cut fuel imports by developing oil refineries and others. That’s the target,” Arya remarked.

Previously, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif demanded Pertamina to accelerate the construction of the firm’s oil refineries in line with the increasing public demands on fuel. At present, only two out of four projects were being developed, namely Balikpapan Oil Refinery and Cilacap Oil Refinery.

EKO WAHYUDI l FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA