YLKI mulls Pertamina boycott<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) strongly condemned on
\nMonday a decision by state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina to
\nraise the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), saying that it
\nwould impose more burdens upon the public.<\/p>\n
YLKI demanded the company to revoke the latest policy, and
\nshould they ignore the demand, the consumer rights group would
\nmobilize the public to boycott Pertamina products.<\/p>\n
\"We are currently soliciting support from the consumers,\" said
\nSudaryatmo, an executive at YLKI, during a press conference.<\/p>\n
Lies Sugeng, an activist who led a class action against
\nPertamina on a previous LPG price increase, supported the YLKI
\nplans, saying that her group would help gather signatures from
\nhousehold consumers.<\/p>\n
If consumer support is deemed broad and significant, YLKI
\nwould launch a campaign to ask the public to boycott Pertamina
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
\"The move is being sought to give Pertamina a lesson so that
\nit would correct its decision and later, give a fair LPG price to
\npeople,\" Lies said.<\/p>\n
The mounting public concern was brought to light after
\nPertamina unilaterally raised the price of LPG.<\/p>\n
Pertamina, a monopolist in the Indonesian LPG industry,
\nannounced last Friday that it would raise the price of LPG from
\nRp 28,800 per tank to Rp 32,400 per tank. Each tank holds 12
\nkilograms of LPG. The price hike was made effective Saturday.<\/p>\n
Pertamina claimed that it was forced to raise the price in a
\nbid to reduce losses, but YLKI said that this was an
\nirresponsible argument.<\/p>\n
\"Pertamina is a state company, so that it must be able to
\nprevent the public from suffering losses.<\/p>\n
\"It is grossly unfair and selfish if the company does not want
\nto bear the burden and, moreover, the burden is then easily
\nshifted to the public,\" said Sudaryatmo.<\/p>\n
Pertamina has twice raised the price of LPG this year, first
\nin July, and second this month.<\/p>\n
Pertamina said the economic price was pegged at Rp 3,000 per
\nkilograms or Rp 36,000 per tank.<\/p>\n
It is unclear whether Pertamina would raise the price again in
\nthe near future, in order to meet the economic price.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ylki-mulls-pertamina-boycott-1447893297",
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