Analyst: Police Firmly Address Cases of Subsidised Fuel and LPG Misuse

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Senior legal and political analyst Boni Hargens stated that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) are taking firm action against cases of misuse of subsidised fuel (BBM) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). “This step by Polri is not merely conventional law enforcement, but a clever institutional response to the complexities currently facing Indonesia across social, economic, and geopolitical dimensions,” Boni said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. He emphasised that amid intensifying global pressures, particularly the impact of the Middle East conflict on international energy supply chains, the ability of domestic security institutions to respond quickly and precisely is key to stability. According to Boni, Polri has successfully understood that the misuse of energy subsidies is not just a criminal issue, but a real threat to national economic resilience. Therefore, he gave substantial appreciation for Polri’s performance in addressing and dismantling cases of BBM and LPG subsidy misuse. Boni opined that Polri’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim), under the leadership of Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, has shown extraordinary seriousness in handling these cases. He said that Polri’s professionalism is continually developing and is no longer reactive, waiting for public reports, but building intelligence and investigation capacities capable of anticipating potential crises before they escalate. Therefore, Boni said Polri has become a modern security institution that is adaptive to contemporary challenges. “Polri demonstrates high institutional sensitivity. They understand that the issue of subsidised BBM today cannot be separated from the global geopolitical context and the economic pressures felt by the people,” he stated. He also said that every piece of evidence seized in these cases becomes an important fragment in dismantling organised crime chains that massively harm state finances. Boni recounted that what is more surprising in the case’s dismantling is the complexity of the network uncovered, as the perpetrators are not merely opportunistic individuals, but organised groups that have built a parallel illegal distribution system. They exploit gaps in distribution oversight to divert subsidies that should be enjoyed by low-income communities to various ineligible parties, including large-scale industries and businesses capable of paying non-subsidised prices. Through cross-agency coordination, including with the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Body (BPH Migas), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), and Pertamina, he appreciated Polri’s ability to identify distribution anomalies as initial clues to the existence of illegal networks. “This institutional synergy is a new strength in eradicating subsidised energy crimes,” Boni added. Previously, the Directorate of Specific Economic Crimes at Bareskrim Polri successfully uncovered 665 suspected cases of BBM and LPG subsidy misuse in 2025-2026. “We, together with regional police commands, have conducted intensive law enforcement efforts and successfully uncovered cases of BBM and LPG subsidy misuse,” said Director of Specific Crimes at Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Moh. Irhamni during a press conference at Bhayangkara Field, National Police Headquarters, Jakarta, on Tuesday (7/4). He explained that in 2025, there were 658 cases uncovered, securing 583 suspects. For the scenes of the crimes (TKP), he explained that the cases were spread across 33 provinces, from Aceh, DI Yogyakarta, Gorontalo to Papua. Due to the police-handled cases of BBM and LPG subsidy misuse throughout 2025-2026, there is a potential state financial loss of Rp1.26 trillion.