Pertamina not transparent in its fuel sales to industries

State oil firm Pertamina has been accused of not transparent in its sales of fuel to big industries as it charges different price mechanism to different companies.

The secretary general of the Association of Indonesian Synthetic Fiber Producers (APSyFI), Risa Bhinekawati, revealed on Friday (Jan. 12) that its members - 19 companies - had been complaining over Pertamina's fuels sale practice.

They contended that Pertamina had required them to pay the state oil firm using foreign exchanges with different treatment among companies.

Risa said two of APSyFi members had been required by Pertamina to pay their fuel purchase using foreign exchange starting January 2001, but difference percentage of fuel they purchased that needed to be paid in foreign exchanges.

One company was required to pay one percent of its fuel it purchase from Pertamina using foreign exchange, while the other one was required to pay 17 percent of its fuel purchase using foreign currency. Consequently, the companies faced difficulties in making price calculation for 2001.

"This situation creates uneasiness among our members because there is no clarity on the reasons on why Pertamina discriminates among consumers," Risa said.

Risa also protested if Pertamina only charged export-oriented companies to pay fuel using foreign exchange, because such discriminative approach could create problems in its implementation and supervision.

Risa called on the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to intervene and prevent the problem from expanding further and create intended damage to the country's industries like the case with the increase of basic electricity tariffs. (*)

According to Risa, most of APSyFI member companies' products, about 90 percent, are absorbed local textile and textile-related industries.

APSyFI member companies produce around 500,000 tons of polyester fiber, 825,000 tons of polyester thread, and 30,000 tons of nylon thread. (*)