Fuel consumption rises

JAKARTA (JP): The country's fuel consumption rose by 4 percent this month despite an increase in fuel prices by between 25 percent and 71 percent, Minister of Mines and Energy Kuntoro Mangkusubroto announced.

Kuntoro said he was concerned with the fact and called on the public to more efficiently use fuel to reduce the government's swelling subsidy for the commodity by among others "changing the habit of traveling a lot".

He did not however reveal which fuel got rise in consumption as well as the reason behind the rise.

He said the government had initially projected fuel subsidy to reach Rp 9.4 trillion (US$620 million) this fiscal year on the assumption the exchange rate will average Rp 6,000 per dollar.

The subsidy would rise by Rp 5 trillion anytime the rupiah's value fell by Rp 1,000 towards the dollar, he said.

Thus, if the exchange rate stood at the average Rp 12,000 per dollar this year, the fuel subsidy would reach Rp 39.4 trillion, Kuntoro said. (jsk)