REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesian government still has the reserve fund of 30 trillion IDR for fuel compensation, fiscal risk, and rice for the poor to cover the excess quota of subsidized fuel. While such fund can cover the expanding fuel quota in short term, additional fund is still needed to cover the increase of subsidized fuel in the future.

On the 2012 revised budget, government and the House of Representatives agreed the quota of fuel in the amount of 40 million kiloliter, while the consumption could outreach 41 million kiloliter. Hence, government needs at least four trillion IDR to cover the expanding quota of a million kiloliter, which for short term it can be covered by the reserve fund. 

Yet, without the reserve fund, there is a possibility of another state budget revision in the longer term.

“Hopefully no more budget revision,” the acting Head of APBN Policy, Fiscal Policy Office in the Ministry of Finance, Rofianto Kurniawan, said on Sunday.

Now the ball is at the House’s hand to permit some additional fund to avoid another budget revision. The additional fund is needed to maintain allocation in other sectors. 

Meanwhile, the energy expert, Kurtubi, asked the government to repeal the quota system of subsidized fuel. Government, he said, could take other policies to maintain state budget, such as applying efficiency and buying the oil without trader. He believes, those steps can suppress the oil price. He also suggested to increase domestic oil production and building new refinery if necessary. 

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