Minister seeks to revive controversial energy security fund

By Thomas Sembiring

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said stated that the proposed energy security fund can be started this year if the House of Representatives Commission VII on energy and mining, and the House state budget committe provides their approval.

Sudirman said on Tuesday that the approval hopefully can be obtained at the upcoming deliberation of the revised 2016 State Budget.

He added that the ministry remains consistent with the planned energy security fund, claiming that it has drafted the necessary government or presidential regulation, and made better prepartions including setting up an institution that would implement the policy.

The minister proposed the controversial energy security fund policy last year, but suspended it earlier this year following widespread protest, and pending better preparations including drafting the required regulation.

Under the plan, financing for the energy security fund will come from fee collected from the sales of fuel products including automotive diesel and the Premium brand gasoline. The funds among others will be used to help finance new and renewable energy projects in the country.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak