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Jokowi brings cheaper fuel to Papua

After promising Papuans with infrastructure development, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Tuesday enthralled residents of the easternmost province with much lower fuel prices on par with other parts of the country

Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post)
Dekai, Papua
Wed, October 19, 2016

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Jokowi brings cheaper fuel to Papua

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fter promising Papuans with infrastructure development, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Tuesday enthralled residents of the easternmost province with much lower fuel prices on par with other parts of the country.

People in Papua and West Papua provinces used to buy premium gasoline at between Rp 50,000 (US$3.84) and Rp 100,000 per liter, more than 10 times the price in Java. With the new policy, the price of premium across the country will be set at Rp 6,450 per liter. Meanwhile, the price of diesel fuel will be Rp 1,150 a liter and kerosene at Rp 2,500 a liter.

“People in Papua and West Papua should have enjoyed the same fuel prices like other parts of Indonesia decades ago,” Jokowi said, announcing the one fuel-price policy in Yahukimo, Papua, on Tuesday.

His statement was promptly greeted with applause and cheers by the thousands of people in Yahukimo witnessing the launching ceremony.

Jokowi said people could still resell premium gasoline outside gas stations but the price was not allowed to exceed Rp 10,000 per liter.

“I will be keeping an eye on this. Do not let only a few individuals enjoy the low price as in other parts of Indonesia while most of people still have to purchase [fuel] at high prices,” Jokowi said.

The President added that with the one-price policy, state-run oil and gas company PT Pertamina would spend an additional Rp 800 billion a year in fuel subsidies. Jokowi emphasized the additional cost was not a problem for him because what mattered was social justice for all Indonesians.

PT Pertamina has prepared an air tractor operated by PT Pelita Air, its subsidiary, to transport fuel to distributors (APMS) located in Papua’s hinterland that can only be reached by air transportation. The aircraft is capable of transporting 4,000 liters of fuel per flight.

To support the one-price fuel policy, Pertamina has also established fuel distribution agencies in eight regencies, namely in Central Mamberamo, Intan Jaya, Mamberamo Raya, Nduga, Pegunungan Arfak, Pegunungan Bintang, Puncak, Tolikara and Yalimo in West Papua.

Aside from announcing the lower fuel prices, Jokowi, who was accompanied by Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, also officially inaugurated Nop Goliat Airport in Dekai.

“Currently the runway is 1,600 meters but I have told the transportation minister to expand it to 2,500 meters within the next two years,” the President said.

Airports have been the hub of the transportation for 515 subdistricts in 51 districts in the province, which is home to 157 airstrips because the only means of transportation connecting the districts are small-sized aircraft.

The President also made time to donate food supplies to children below five years of age, pregnant mothers and school kids during his visit on Tuesday.

Together with First Lady Iriana, he also watched a traditional bakar batu cooking practice during which both joined the community in opening piles of food cooked on hot stones.

On Monday, Jokowi inaugurated several projects including six power facilities in Papua and West Papua worth a total of Rp 988 billion. With completion of the projects scheduled for 2019, electricity capacity in Papua and West Papua is set to increase two-fold. Current total capacity in both provinces is 294 and 242 megawatts at peak load,
respectively.

State electricity firm PLN is working around the clock to complete the electrification of 15 regency capitals across Papua and West Papua and to provide adequate power supply to outer islands and border areas also by 2019.

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