Oil Subsidy Decision Must have Minimum Effect On Poor

Jakarta, April 11 (Antara) - Energy Minister Jero Wacik said the government would only take a decision to reduce oil subsidy that would give a minimum effect on inflation and the poor. "Any option to be taken will affect inflation and inflation will always affect the poor and that is what the President has always underlined," he said before attending a meeting on oil subsidy with the President and vice president here on Thursday. He said the poor would be pressured if inflation happens and therefore the government still continued studying the right policy that would give a minimum effect. "If inflation affects the poor more people would become poor and burdened," he said. The minister denied there were political reasons behind the indecisiveness of the government in the issue. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had earlier said that if the price of fuel oils was finally raised to reduce the subsidy the poor must be given compensation. "To me compensation for the poor a must if the price of oil fuels is raised," he said.