Bahlil Announces Retailers Can Sell 3 Kg Elpiji

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that 3 kg LPG retailers can now return to selling melon gas with a new status as a distributor.

Bahlil said this was a directive from President Prabowo Subianto who asked all retailers who were previously prohibited from selling LPG gas again.

"On the direction of the President, the first is all suppliers, yes, the suppliers that we have functioned for them per day have started to become sub-baselines," said Bahlil during an inspection at Palmerah, West Jakarta, Tuesday, February 4.

Bahlil said, later this sub-division will be equipped with IT facilities such as the Pertamina Merchant Application (MAP) application which will be used to record 3 kg LPG users. This application, said Bahlil, will record buyer data, the number of gas cylinders purchased along with prices so that subsidy distribution can really be controlled.

"So starting today, retailers throughout Indonesia, under the name sub-basement. Later Pertamina and ESDM will equip them with an application system and their process into sub-basement is not subject to any fees, we will even proactively register them as a formal part so that they can become MSMEs," said Bahlil.

Regarding the criteria for sub-basement, Bahlil said that currently there are 370,000 suppliers registered and already operating and will automatically become sub-baselines. Later, he said, this sub-baseline will be monitored by Pertamina and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

"If there are also those who may not follow, for example he sells expensive prices, it's not okay, it must be given sanctions. Don't make the price you want, it's not allowed," said Bahlil.

Previously, Pertamina Patra Niaga revealed, as a sub base, retailers can still make purchases at bases. This policy aims to maintain the availability of 3 kg LPG for eligible communities and improve distribution control.

"Systemically, retailers have been registered with the Pertamina Merchant Applications (MAP)," said Pertamina Patra Niaga Corporate Secretary Heppy Wulansari, Tuesday, February 4.

Currently, nearly 63 million Population Identification Numbers (NIK) have been registered in the MAP system, with details of 53.7 million household NIKs, 8.6 million micro-enterprises NIKs, 50,000 target/target NIKs and 375,000 retail NIKs.

"With this scheme, it is hoped that services to the community will be maintained, as well as increase government supervision through Pertamina regarding the distribution and consumers of 3 kg LPG," said Heppy.