Price of premix, super TT gas hiked

JAKARTA (JP): The price of unleaded gas was officially hiked on Saturday to Rp 1,500 per liter from Rp 1,300 for premix and Rp 1,600 from Rp 1,400 per liter for super TT.

Many motorists and gas station employees were stunned by the increase as there was no announcement in advance by the authorities, including state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina.

Pertamina spokesman Toto Suparto said on Saturday that Pertamina did not publicize the increase because premix and super TT were sold to a limited market.

"It's usually affluent people who buy premix or super TT, that's why there is no subsidy on their prices."

Unlike subsidized fuel products, Pertamina wholly controls the prices of premix and super TT, he said.

Toto added that his firm planned to impose the hike several months ago.

The high price of oil in the international market, he said, finally forced Pertamina to raise prices of premix and super TT.

"Still our prices are far below those of similar products sold overseas," he said.

Pertamina produces and imports various fuel products, of which only premix and super TT are not subsidized by the government.

He said the price increase was not related to the government's decision to hike fuel prices, which was eventually postponed for an indefinite period following strong public opposition.

The government earlier announced that starting April 1, it would raise prices of premium gasoline to Rp 1,150 from Rp 1,000 per liter, automotive diesel oil to Rp 600 from Rp 550 per liter, kerosene to Rp 350 from Rp 280 per liter and bunker oil to Rp 400 from Rp 350 per liter.

Employees of Semanggi and Pejompongan gas stations said they only learned of the price increase on Saturday morning but the hike was in effect from the early hours of the day.

"When I came to work in the morning, the price reading of the machine had already been changed to Rp 1,500 (for premix)," said Supriatna at Semanggi gas station.

He regretted Pertamina's decision to increase the price.

"It will lead to a hike in prices of other goods," he worried.

Raky at Pejompongan gas station questioned the government's decision to limit the increase to certain types of gas.

"The other types of gas should have been hiked too," he said.

A woman customer, Nita, said: "I'm disappointed, it's just so sudden." (bkm/09)