Authorities in Papua plan to establish a task force to supervise the one-fuel price policy for Papua and West Papua launched by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo this month.

Jokowi launched the program on Oct. 18 during a visit to Dekai, the capital city of Yahukimo regency in Papua, in a bid to deliver social justice to the country's easternmost provinces.

"We will set up a task force to monitor the policy so there will be no unnatural price increases," Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw said in Jayapura on Friday.

The task force will be launched next week and will monitor the sale price in districts located far from local fuel agents.

"We expect that price increases will not be more than Rp 10,000," he added.

The launch of the program sets a cheaper price for fuel in Papua and West Papua, on par with other parts of the country. The price stands at Rp 6,450 per liter for premium fuel, Rp 5,150 per liter for diesel fuel and Rp 2,500 per liter for kerosene. The new price will be considerably lower than previous prices in Papua and West Papua, which could reach as high as Rp 25,000 to Rp 50,000 per liter in mountainous areas.

Meanwhile, Taufiqurachman, the spokesperson for Pertamina's marketing operations region VIII, which oversees Maluku and Papua, called on local administrations to set the highest price in their respective areas so that the policy would benefit everyone, not only special interests. (rin)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by Nethy Dharma Somba

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