REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Public policy observer Sofyano Zakaria said the government should name state oil and gas company PT Pertanina as the sole aggregator for gas supply in the country.

"Pertamina should be entrusted to play the role of a sole aggregator," Zakaria, the director of the Center for Public Policy Studies said on Friday.

With the function self reliance in energy as one of the main objectives of the government of the new president Joko Widodo could be made a reality, he said. Zakaria stated that Pertamina had the capability to manage gas sector comprehensively, adding so far the company had carried out its function as an aggregator in a number of areas in Indonesia.

In addition, in the past several years, Pertamina had performed well as a gas operator both in the upstream and downstream sectors, he said. Zakaria believes, appointing Pertamina as the sole aggregator can sort out problem over lopsidedness in gas supply and requirement.

Earlier, another energy observer Sampe L Purba said government must not leave gas business to be dictated by market mechanism. The government must address the problems related to gas supply, requirement, infrastructure , regulation and price, Purba said.

In an annual session in Berlin on 16 October 2014, Pertamina and Indonesian Gas Society were accepted as members of International Gas Union (IGU). Gas Director of Pertamina Hari Karyuliarto, also Chairman of Indonesian Gas Society, said the acceptance was a recognition of Pertamina's reputation in gas management.

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