Govt Still Has No Plan To Raise Oil Price Soon

Jakarta, March 15 (Antara) - The government still has no plan to raise the price of subsidized oil soon, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said. "The government will take other steps to curb oil consumption," he said during the launch of energy efficiency textbook for elementary and junior high school students at the Electricity Museum in the Indonesia-in-miniature park (TMII) compounds here on Thursday. But he stopped short of revealing how long the government will maintain the current price of subsidized oil. The government will curb oil consumption by implementing a number of programs, including encouraging efficient use of energy, cracking down on smuggling activities, and increasing use of gas, coal and new and renewable energy, he said. "The effect of the programs may not be felt in the not-too-distant future. But in the long run, the programs, if implemented constantly, will have a tremendous effect," he said. The minister said if the government does nothing subsidized oil consumption may soar to 53 million kiloliters this year. "Therefore, the government will always work hard to keep the fuel consumption manageable," he said. He said the government planned to raise the price of subsidized oil last year. But the House of Representatives (DPR) rejected the plan, sending oil subsidy soaring. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered his cabinet ministers to finalize a draft policy on reducing oil subsidy soon. "There are a number of options that I feel it improper to disclose now because we still have to finalize them in one to two weeks` time," the President told a press conference om Wednesday. Should the option be implemented properly oil subsidy for 2013 will not swell but will remain controllable, he said. Steps must be taken to ensure that oil subsidy will really go to those entitled to it, he said. Under the 2013 state budget, the quota of subsidized oil is set at 46 million kiloliters valued at an estimated Rp200 trillion. But the Finance Ministry has predicted the oil consumption to soar to 53 million kiloliters this year.