Uproar Over Fuel Receipt Showing True Pertalite Price at Rp16,088/L, Pertamina Responds
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Social media has been abuzz with a circulating video of a fuel purchase receipt from a Pertamina petrol station, showing the unsubsidised price of Pertalite reaching Rp16,088 per litre. The video has ignited debate, as the price is deemed higher than Pertamax, currently sold at Rp12,300 per litre.
Pertamina Patra Niaga’s Corporate Secretary, Roberth M V Dumatubun, emphasised that fuel subsidy policies are entirely the government’s prerogative. In this regard, Pertamina is only carrying out the assignments set by the state.
“The fuel subsidy programme policy is the government’s authority, not Pertamina’s. Therefore, subsidies are provided for specific assignment fuel types or JBKP, namely Pertalite, and Pertamina as the operator complies with government policy,” Roberth stated in his comments to CNBC Indonesia on Saturday (9/5/2026).
The purpose of fuel subsidies is not only to suppress energy prices but also to maintain broad economic stability for society amid fluctuations in global oil prices.
“Subsidies aim to safeguard national stability, both in terms of public purchasing power and keeping the wheels of the economy turning,” he said.
Roberth also explained that Pertamax is a non-subsidised fuel whose selling price follows market mechanisms. However, the government has played a role in preventing price increases for Pertamax since April.
“Pertamax is a non-subsidised fuel type because its price follows the market price. However, the government coordinated with Pertamina to not adjust prices from 1 April 2026, thus holding Pertamax prices steady without an increase,” he said.
Previously, one widely discussed post appeared on the Threads platform, showing the breakdown of Pertalite’s base price before receiving government subsidies.
In the receipt, the base price of Pertalite was listed at Rp16,088 per litre. However, consumers only paid Rp10,000 per litre due to a government subsidy of Rp6,088 for every litre of fuel purchased.
The finding immediately raised public questions. This is because the base price of Pertalite, with RON 90, appeared higher than Pertamax with RON 92, currently sold at around Rp12,300 per litre in the Jabodetabek area.
The narrative in the circulating video then evolved into a debate about fuel pricing logic. Many netizens questioned the government’s rationale for subsidising Pertalite instead of Pertamax, which is considered to have higher quality.
In the viral purchase receipt, the details showed the base price of Pertalite at Rp16,088 per litre, government subsidy of Rp6,088 per litre, and the selling price to the public at Rp10,000 per litre.