TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Automotive Manufacturers' Association (Gaikindo) welcomes the government's plan to raise Indonesia's emission standards from Euro 4 to Euro 5. This plan was put forward by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Gaikindo chairman Yohannes Nangoi welcomed the plan, saying it could reduce vehicle exhaust emissions.

"We already use vehicles based on Euro 4 standards which are quite good, but the world already uses higher standards. Singapore is already at Euro 5 and Euro 6, Japan is already higher. Even India, one of our barometers, already uses Euro 5. Vietnam also uses Euro 5," Nangoi said when met in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 7.

Nangoi explained that vehicles that use Euro 5 emission standards will use more sophisticated technology, which will make the vehicle very sensitive to the fuel used.

"What we need to understand is that right now [in Indonesia] there is still a lot of fuel that doesn't even meet Euro 4 standards. Sometimes this makes it difficult for the vehicle itself because if it is used for Euro 4 it will cause problems," he said.

He added that what Indonesia needs now is the government's readiness to modify or transfer non-Euro 5 fuel to Euro 5 "at the same time as the vehicle law is implemented."

Nangoi said that the automotive industry can currently easily increase the emission standards for vehicles marketed in the country to Euro 5. However, the problem is that there is still no fuel that is compatible with the Euro 5 emission standards.

"The automotive industry welcomes the plan. But we need to underline that cleaning is expensive. With Euro 5, the vehicles will be more expensive, and they will need more expensive fuel, but they will be much cleaner," he said.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said he would increase Indonesia's emission standards from Euro 4 to Euro 5 in a bid to create clean air quality by minimizing exhaust emissions.

"We will also make the quality of fuel oil even better so that the sulfur content will also improve Indonesia's air quality," Luhut said at the grand launching event for BYD in January.

Dicky Kurniawan

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