Energy Minister Bahlil Urges Indonesians Not to Panic Buy, Fuel Prices Will Not Rise
Jakarta — Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has urged the public not to engage in panic buying of fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) amid global uncertainty arising from the conflict in the Middle East.
According to him, the government is ensuring that energy supplies remain secure and that fuel and LPG prices will not increase until Eid al-Fitr.
“I urge my fellow citizens not to panic buy. God willing, our fuel and LPG will be available from the state,” Bahlil said during a podcast session on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
Furthermore, Bahlil disclosed that the government has discussed the national energy situation during a limited meeting with the President. During that meeting, it was decided that there would be no fuel price increases in the near term.
“And one more thing, I just had a meeting with the President in a limited cabinet session. There will be no fuel price increases until after Eid al-Fitr,” he said.
Bahlil stated that the government will address the situation by increasing the subsidy budget to prevent price hikes. This is necessary because, in the state budget, the Indonesian Crude Price (ICP) assumption was set at US$70 per barrel, whilst current oil prices have reached approximately US$100 per barrel.
“In our budget, the ICP was set at US$70 per barrel, but it has now reached US$100 per barrel. The increase is still manageable for us to finance, so it is still being borne by the state,” Bahlil said.
As noted, President Prabowo Subianto held a meeting with several ministers from the Red and White Cabinet at Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Monday, 9 March 2026. The meeting was to discuss national strategic measures and preparations ahead of Eid al-Fitr.
According to the official Instagram account of the Cabinet Secretariat on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, those present included Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono.
Also present were the Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister and National Land Agency Chief Nusron Wahid, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Brian Yuliarto, Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
This strategic meeting focused on two main government agendas. First, progress on self-sufficiency initiatives: “Evaluating developments in food self-sufficiency and energy self-sufficiency and oil programmes,” according to the Cabinet Secretariat’s statement.
Second, preparations for Eid al-Fitr: “Ensuring the availability of food supplies and LPG provision ahead of Eid al-Fitr,” the Cabinet Secretariat stated.