Private fuel stations in 2025 were granted an import quota 110 percent higher than in 2024. Unfortunately, the allocated quota was depleted before the end of the year. To address the shortage, the government decided to maintain supply through collaboration with Pertamina.
Previously, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources had also offered private operators the option to purchase Pertamina’s fuel stock.
However, this option was not viable since the available stock was not base fuel (unblended fuel) and therefore unsuitable for retail distribution.
Dr. Fahmy Radhi, an energy economist from Universitas Gadjah Mada, commented on the issue.
He argued that Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia had, by design, created scarcity at private fuel stations by changing the import period regulation from one year to six months.
“Following this shortage, Minister Bahlil Lahadalia is forcing private fuel stations to buy fuel from Pertamina,” said Dr. Radhi at UGM Campus on Tuesday (Sep. 23).
According to Dr. Radhi, this situation has effectively created a Pertamina monopoly, serving only to secure sufficient import volumes of fuel from the United States in line with an agreement to reduce Indonesia’s export tariff from 32 percent to 19 percent.
“Purchasing fuel from Pertamina will certainly be more expensive, increasing the operational costs of private stations and reducing their profit margins,” he explained.
If this situation continues, Dr. Radhi warned, private fuel stations could face bankruptcy, with many potentially exiting the Indonesian market.
“The impact would include layoffs and a deteriorating investment climate. This would certainly obstruct President Prabowo’s targeted economic growth of eight percent, making it impossible to achieve,” he added.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Illustration: Freepik