REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Nahdhatul Ulama Central Executive Board (PBNU) Chairman Said Aqil Siradj said on Saturday that the oil and gas liberalization system would ruin the nation's energy sovereignty.

"The government should stop liberalizing the oil, gas and energy sector and should protect it from interference by other countries," Siradj stated.

He also said the government should protect the country's oil, gas and energy reserves in the interest of certain groups.

The PBNU chairman pointed out that his organization was supporting government efforts to reinforce national energy resilience by developing natural gas infrastructures across the country.

"Thus, all sections of the Indonesian people will be able to share the benefits of energy," Siradj noted.

Deputy Chairman of the Upstream Oil and Gas Operator (BP Migas), Fahmi Harsandono Matori, said the government should give priority to the need for energy at home in creating gas trade regulations.

"This is important to maintain domestic need reserves, consumers' purchasing power and national economic growth," he said.

Former Constitutional Court (MK) chairman Mahfud MD said the dissolution of BP Migas did not mean siding with foreigners. "In fact, it was because we did not side with the people," he stressed.

Previously, when he was the MK chairman, Mahfud had dissolved BP Migas after the constitutional court found, during a judicial review, that law No. 22 /2011 was in violation of the 1945 Constitution.

He said the MK ruled that the price of oil and gas must not be left to market mechanisms.

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