YLKI blasts gas price hike

YLKI blasts gas price hike

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI)
says Pertamina, the state-owned oil company, is responsible for
the recent price increase in LPG gas in Jakarta and its
surrounding areas.

Zoemrotin K. Soesilo, YLKI's chairwoman, said in a release
that stern action should be taken against Pertamina and its
dealers who have arbitrarily increased the price of LPG gas by 33
percent since Tuesday.

The price of a 12-kilogram tube of gas is now Rp 12,000, or Rp
3,000 higher than the old price, while a 50-kg tube of gas now
costs Rp 50,000. The old price was Rp 37,500.

However, a retailer in Bintaro, South Jakarta, said the new
prices are official. "There was an announcement on television
Monday evening," he claimed.

Zoemrotin said that because no government decree was issued
for the increase, Pertamina must take responsibility for the
illegal prices or return the prices to previous levels until an
official increase is announced.

The release added that a price increase from Rp 750 per liter
to Rp 1,000 per is illogical because Pertamina was already
profiting at the old price levels.(03)