Viral Rumour of Pertamax Fuel Price Reaching Rp17,850: Pertamina's Response

PT Pertamina (Persero) is urging the public not to believe unaccountable information. This follows the circulation of a rumour regarding changes to Pertamina’s non-subsidised fuel prices, such as Pertamax, starting 1 April 2026. In a post circulating online, including on X (formerly Twitter), the selling price for non-subsidised fuels like Pertamax (RON 92) is claimed to reach Rp17,850 per litre in April 2026, an increase of Rp5,550 from the current Rp12,300 in the Jabodetabek region. Responding to the buzz on social media, PT Pertamina’s VP of Corporate Communication, Muhammad Baron, stated that the company has not yet released official non-subsidised fuel prices for the April 2026 period. He added that the projections circulating on social media lack credibility. “The information on projected fuel price increases circulating cannot be accounted for; to date, there has been no official announcement regarding prices from 1 April 2026,” he told CNBC Indonesia when contacted on Monday (30/3/2026). Besides Pertamax, the circulating narrative claims Pertamax Green (RON 95) will reach Rp19,150 per litre in April, while Pertamax Turbo (RON 98) is rumoured to rise to Rp19,450 per litre. For the non-subsidised Solar series, the projection for Pertamina Dex is Rp23,950 per litre in April 2026, and for Dexlite, Rp23,650 per litre. Therefore, Baron stated that official Pertamina fuel prices can only be accessed via the company’s official website. Additionally, the company supports the government’s call for the public to use energy wisely. “Obtain valid Pertamina fuel price information only through official channels at www.pertamina.com. Pertamina supports the government’s call to use energy wisely,” he emphasised. Regarding subsidised fuels, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has also spoken out. The government assures that there are no plans to raise subsidised fuel prices from 1 April 2026. The Director General of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of ESDM, Laode Sulaeman, emphasised that there will be no increase in subsidised fuel prices in the near future after 31 March 2026. “No increase in subsidised fuel. (Prices) remain the same,” Laode told CNBC Indonesia when contacted on Monday (30/3/2026). Previously, similar rumours had circulated in society, both on social media and messaging networks like WhatsApp, regarding projected fuel prices after March 2026 ends. In the circulating narrative, subsidised fuel like Pertalite is projected to be priced at Rp14,000 per litre from the current Rp10,000, while subsidised Solar is projected at Rp9,500 per litre from the current Rp6,800. For Pertamax, it is projected to rise to Rp16,500 per litre from the current Rp12,300. Thus, Laode emphasised that the circulating fuel price information is incorrect. “Wrong information,” he asserted.