Government lax in efforts to cut fuel use by vehicles<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although private vehicles and motorcycles guzzle close to half of
\nthe subsidized fuel in the country, the government continues to
\noverlook the transportation sector in its short-term energy
\nconservation efforts.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives legislator Agusman Effendi said that
\nthe recent fuel crisis provided a good opportunity for the
\ngovernment to reform the transportation system in the country.<\/p>\n
\"A lot of fuel-saving initiatives in the transportation sector
\ncould be undertaken by the local administrations,\" Agusman,
\nchairman of the House's Commission VII overseeing energy and
\nmineral resources, said recently.<\/p>\n
\"The government should start working on concrete measures
\nright away,\" he added.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued instruction no.
\n10\/2005 a week ago on energy conservation. Since then, several
\nmeasures, such air conditioner thermostats at higher settings in
\noffices, have been promoted.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the government tends to aim more at reducing
\nelectricity use (most of which is produced with giant diesel-
\npowered generators) than directly targeting gasoline usage.<\/p>\n
Data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources showed
\nthat last year, that the public transportation sector consumed 28
\nmillion kiloliters (kl) of fuel (diesel and gasoline), or about
\n45 percent of the 62 million kiloliters used nationwide.<\/p>\n
In the first six months of the year, Indonesia, which is
\nforecast to have 550,000 new cars on its streets by the end of
\n2005, saw premium gasoline consumption reach 8.48 million kl, 12
\npercent higher than the estimated usage for the period.<\/p>\n
One of the more controversial options suggested in order to
\ndecrease consumption was to raise the price of fuel used in the
\ntransportation sector, except for those used for the public
\ntransportation.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) acknowledged that
\nas long as the government did not utilize public transportation
\nas the primary way to travel, excessive usage of fuel would
\ncontinue.<\/p>\n
\"The policy (to raise fuel prices for private vehicles) is
\nacceptable if the government improves public transportation
\nmeans,\" YLKI executive Tulus Abadi said.<\/p>\n
Reckless drivers, nearly broken-down buses, cramped trains and
\nsecurity issues were often mentioned as some of the more glaring
\nreasons why people continue to use private vehicles to move
\naround in most cities.<\/p>\n
Other possible measures to decrease fuel consumption included
\nsetting progressive taxes for vehicles and obliging cars with
\nengines larger than 2,500 cc to buy only unsubsidized fuel, as
\nonce suggested by Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
Jakarta's provincial mineral resources agency chief Peni
\nSusanti that the policies were still being discussed.<\/p>\n
\"There is no binding regulation yet. For now we can only call
\non big-engine car owners to not buy subsidized fuel,\" said Peni.
\n\"Such a regulation is in the hands of the central government,\"
\nshe added.<\/p>\n
At present, state oil and gas company PT Pertamina produces
\nand sells two types of high quality fuel, namely Pertamax and
\nPertamax Plus, which are not subsidized.<\/p>\n
The energy ministry's director general of oil and gas Iin
\nArifin Takhyan confirmed that there was not yet a regulation in
\nplace designed to slow fuel consumption and could not specify
\nwhen any would be issued.<\/p>\n
\"We call on the people to use only enough that they really
\nrequire,\" said Iin. \"In the medium term, we aim to diversify fuel
\nconsumption and use more natural gas,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it is too soon to expect the government to draft the
\ndecrees needed to support concrete measures to reduce fuel usage
\nin the transportation sector.<\/p>\n
\"One week should be enough,\" said Agusman.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-lax-in-efforts-to-cut-fuel-use-by-vehicles-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }