GOVT NOT YET CONSIDERING INCREASING PRICE OF BBM
Jakarta – The government has not considered increasing the price of BBM (oil fuel) because the 2008 APBN (state budget of revenues and expenditures) could still subsidize the commodity despite the fact that oil on the world market is nearing USD 120 per barrel.
This was stated by the Minister for National Development Planning/Bappenas chairman Paskah Suzetta here Wednesday (30/4).
He quoted the Finance Minister as saying that “Our APBN could bear the burden of BBM subsidy at least until the second semester of this year.”
He said the government had not considered borrowing from overseas to reinforce the APBN.
“Japan could help but it could not help us optimally. So for the time being we have to stand on our own feet,” Suzetta said.
Asked on a suggestion of Kadin (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) that the government increase the price of BBM by 10-30%, the Bappenas chairman said the government would consider it following reports of the first and second quarter.
“We have received comments. Some are calling for an increase, others are not. We will have a look at how it is in the first and second quarter. Then at the next. We do not know whether we will be strong enough until the end of December,” he added.
Though the world oil price is nearing ISD 120 per barrel, it goes up and down. (T.Ys/Tr/toeb/ton)
