NGO CALLS FOR STATE COMPANIES' INVOLVEMENT IN LPG DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE

Jakarta, Dec 29 (ANTARA) - A non-govetnmental organization, the Public Policies Study Center (Puskepi), has asked the government to involve state- and regional government-owned companies in the creation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distribution infrastructure such as depots, filling stations and transportation vehicles.
"At present, the distribution infrastructure only consists of private enterprises. If state- and regional government-owned companies are also involved, the problem of limited supplies can be solved," Puskepi Director Sofyano Zakaria said here Monday.
The involvement of state- and regional government-owned companies would also speed up the implementation of the kerosene-to-gas conversion program which had to be completed in 2009.
He said it was better to complete the program sooner so that the government's fuel oil subsidy burden could be minimized, a cleaner environment created and a more positive response given by the public (to the program).
But the government should also extend loans, especially to the regional government-owned companies so that regional administrations would more enthusiastically support the conversion program, Zakaria said.
He also asked the president and vice president to demand an explanation from governors, district chiefs and mayors who had rejected the kerosene-to-gas conversion program.
The explanation was necessary because a number of regional administration chiefs were known to be not supporting the program.
"The minister of home affairs can also issue official letters to the regional administrations to make them support the program," he said.