Prabowo Ensures Subsidised Fuel Will Be Maintained for the People

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto has assured that his government will continue to maintain subsidised fuel oil (BBM) for the public. The decision to retain the subsidised BBM was made after Prabowo received confirmation from his ministers. “I thank my team, my economic ministers are reliable, thank you. They reported ‘Sir, rest assured that we will maintain the subsidised BBM for the little people’,” Prabowo stated during a briefing to members of the Red and White Cabinet at the Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4/2026). One of the policies is to control BBM consumption in the short term or for the next 12 months. “Some measures have already been announced to control fuel consumption in this short term. The short term that I consider critical is the next year,” Prabowo said. “After 12 months, we will be very strong. We will explain the steps later, but the point is that we are ready and strong to face this year,” he added emphatically. This positions Indonesia with alternative sources of oil and gas to meet public needs. “Besides our very strong domestic strength, there is a period that we must overcome together,” Prabowo said. In his briefing, he mentioned the Strait of Hormuz in the Iranian region, which determines the lives of many nations. “Now, the war in the Middle East proves that one strait, the Strait of Hormuz, determines the lives of many nations and oil prices,” Prabowo said. According to him, Indonesia, with its vast maritime territory, has equally important potential like the Strait of Hormuz. “Are we aware that the Malacca Strait, Sunda Strait, Makassar Strait, and so on are Indonesian seas? Are we aware of how important Indonesia is, how key Indonesia is, 70 percent of energy,” Prabowo said.