Govt?s economic package aims to lower gas price
Thursday, September 10 2015 - 01:04 AM WIB
The government today (Wednesday) launched the Phase One Economic Policy Package aimed to revive the national economy, which includes deregulation policy that will bring down the price of gas for the domestic industry.
"One of the economic policies concerns gas price for certain domestic industry, which is aimed to develop a conducive climate for industries," said Economy Minister Darmin Nasution at the State Palace in Jakarta.
He did not provide details on the policy, only saying that the gas price will go down, not because the government is going to set the price.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said explained that gas prices are determined by various aspects in upstream, downstream sides and infrastructure.
"We shall fix all fronts, namely upstream, downstream sides, and infrastructure. A presidential decree will be issued to provide us with opportunities to lower the gas price,? Sudirman said, adding the presidential regulation will replace a 2012 presidential regulation on provision, distribution, and pricing of gas for land transportation.
The First Phase Economic Policy Package unveils a long list of regulations that will be issued by various ministries to revive the national economy that is now slowing in line with the global economic slowdown.
In the energy sector, aside from the presidential regulation on gas, the government will issue a regulation on bonded logistic hubs for oil fuel, LPG and crude oil to ensure the availability of the fuels for the public. The government will also issue a presidential regulation on the development of new refineries to strengthen supply of oil fuels domestically.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon