Bahlil Assures 3kg LPG Price Will Not Rise, Supply Maintained

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, has guaranteed that the price of 3-kilogram (kg) LPG or subsidised LPG will not increase, despite the current surge in global energy prices. Additionally, he assured that the supply of 3kg LPG is maintained in accordance with the national minimum standard. “Specifically for subsidised LPG, our stock is above the national minimum standard, and the price will not rise. It’s flat,” Bahlil stated at the Ministry of ESDM in Jakarta on Monday (20/4/2026). He explained that the government can only regulate the prices of subsidised energy. Like with fuel oil (BBM), the government has set that Pertalite and Biosolar prices will not increase. In contrast to non-subsidised energy products, Bahlil said the government does not directly regulate them, so their prices follow the market. “I say that what the government can guarantee not to rise in price is the subsidised one. Meanwhile, the non-subsidised is used by industry, restaurants, hotels. So we don’t regulate its price; it adjusts to the market price,” Bahlil clarified. He stated that the government has never raised the price of 3kg LPG since 2007. Therefore, if there is a price increase for those melon cylinders, it is due to market manipulation. “The 3kg LPG up to now has never been raised in price by the government; what happens is that the price is manipulated at distributors and bases,” he said. He mentioned that in February 2025, efforts to improve distribution had been attempted, but panic ensued, and subsidised LPG suddenly became scarce in the market. As a result, at that time, the government invited retailers to register as official Pertamina sub-bases. “At that time, I wanted to properly regulate so that the subsidy goes to those who are entitled to it. With the price that is truly set,” he said. On the other hand, Bahlil also assured that the supply of 3kg LPG is currently safe, even above the national minimum limit. “If it’s said to be scarce, I think from our reports, the minimum standard is above 10 days, so it’s above the national minimum standard,” Bahlil concluded.