Government Assessed Failed to Lower Gas Prices for Industry

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta-It has been more than a year since the government issued a regulation related to the decrease of natural gas price for industry. However, until now not all industries are contained in Presidential Regulation No. 40 of 2016 is enjoying cheap gas prices. As a result, the government is considered failed to keep his promise.

Member of the House of Representatives Commission VII, Harry Poernomo urged the government in this case the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) immediately realize what is contained in the Presidential Regulation.

"Yesterday a meeting with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources I have asked the government failed to fulfill its promise to reduce gas prices," said Harry in Jakarta (12/10/2017).

Harry says ideally it is in the range of US $ 6 per mmbtu. But for some industries is still considered above that, as complained by the Minister of Industry. Whereas the high price of gas will make the competitiveness of domestic industry to be low.

"Presidential regulation should be if the government is not able to provide cheap gas prices, do not make regulations but not run under it," he said.

The high price of this gas is also complained by the industry. President Director of PT Puri Kemenangan Jaya (Centro Keramik), Jusmery Chandra once said there are currently eight ceramics factories or 20 percent of the total existing factories in Indonesia, closed due to not being able to compete.

"The factory is losing, if the loss of 2-3 months is okay, it can still be covered, but if it gets to the end of the year bankruptcy," he said some time ago.

On the other hand, Chairman of the Association of Glass Sheets and Safety, Yustinus Gunawan said, the realization of Presidential Regulation No. 40 of 2016 still can not be felt by the industry.

"Pak Jonan and Mr. Arcandra are super busy returning the sovereignty of RI, that is the problem of Freeport so that the problem of gas price reduction can be observed by the ranks," said Justinus some time ago To INDUSTRY.co.id.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto has also been acting on this matter by sending a letter for the ceramic industry to be a priority of price reduction. "We have made a letter to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources," said Airlangga in the House of Representatives Jakarta, some time ago.

The decline in gas prices is indeed one of the highlighted government. Even the gas price reduction plan has been included in the economic policy package volume III released October 7, 2015.

However, up to now only three industries are enjoying the decline in gas prices, namely petrochemicals, fertilizers and steel. Though referring to Presidential Regulation No. 40 of 2016 there are seven industries that should enjoy low prices of fertilizer, petrochemical, oleochemical, steel, ceramics, glass and rubber gloves.