Kuntoro gives up on bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro
\nMangkusubroto has given up all hope for new oil and gas
\nlegislation, which would have modernized Indonesia's oil sector.<\/p>\n
\"The deliberation of the bill between the government and the
\nHouse of Representatives has come to a dead end,\" Kuntoro told
\nreporters on Friday.<\/p>\n
The death knell was the letter from the United Development
\nParty (PPP) asking that the bill be dropped completely because of
\nsubstantial disagreements between the government and the House.<\/p>\n
The letter, signed by PPP faction leader Zarkasih Nur, stated
\nthat the differences could no longer be reconciled.<\/p>\n
The House rules require that bills be supported by all four
\nfactions before they can be passed into law.<\/p>\n
Kuntoro said this was a major setback for the country's oil
\nindustry.<\/p>\n
\"The failure to endorse the bill means we will not be able to
\nmodernize the oil and gas sector,\" Kuntoro said.<\/p>\n
It would also be impossible to reveal irregularities in the
\nsector, he added.<\/p>\n
The government, which drafted the bill, has been at
\nloggerheads with the House on the status of Pertamina, the state
\noil monopoly. The ministry sought to end its privilege in
\ngranting lucrative contracts while the House insisted that
\nPertamina retain that right.<\/p>\n
The House, which still has several bills to deliberate, will
\nend its tenure at the end of the month to make way for
\nlegislators elected in the June general election. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kuntoro-gives-up-on-bill-1447893297",
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