Fuel prices for oil and mining industries to rise this month
Friday, January 2 2004 - 02:17 AM WIB
State oil and gas company PT Pertamina said in a statement on Wednesday that it had decided to raise fuel prices for the oil, gas and mining industries following an increase of between 3.5 percent and 7.4 percent in fuel prices in Singapore.
Premium gasoline for industry will now cost Rp 2,100 per liter, up from Rp 2,080 in December 2003, while kerosene is now Rp 2,200 per liter, up from Rp 2,160. Automotive diesel oil is now Rp 2,100 per liter, up from Rp 2,050, while industrial diesel oil has risen to Rp 2,050 from Rp 1,990.
But, fuel oil for the three industries remains unchanged at Rp 1.560 per liter because of weak demand for fuel oil on the international market due to year-end holiday.
The government imposes international prices for fuel bought by oil, gas and mining companies, as well as those which support them and process their products, on the grounds that their products are for export. For public transportation and other industries, however, the government still provides subsidies.
For the transportation sector, the price of Premium gasoline in the gas stations is unchanged at Rp 1,810 per liter, while the price of kerosene is still Rp 1,800 per liter.
The price of automotive diesel oil and industrial diesel oil will stay at Rp 1,650 per liter respectively, and fuel oil at Rp 1,560 per liter.
Kerosene for household and small industry use will stay at Rp 700 per liter.
Prices for Pertamina's high quality gasoline brands Pertamax and Pertamax Plus remain stable at Rp 2,300 per liter and Rp 2,600 per liter respectively.
The state company adjusts fuel prices every month for the domestic market by taking into account the movement of oil prices on the international market as part of the effort to reduce fuel subsidies.
Separately, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the government had decided not to raise fuel prices for the public throughout this year, Bisnis Indonesia and Investor Indonesaid reported on Friday.
“At present, Indonesia’s monetary and fiscal conditions are stable, therefore, there is no need to raise fuel prices, especially the fuel consumed by the public,” the minister was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
The papers also quoted the ministry's Secretary General Luluk Sumiarso as saying that electricity prices would remain unchanged throughout the year based on Presidential Decree No. 104/2003 dated Dec. 31, 2003.
The government has allocated Rp 14.5 trillion for fuel subsidies and Rp 3.3 trillion to subsidize the power prices in 2004 state budget. (*)