Govt plans implementing fuel cards by 2014

JAKARTA. The government plans to implement a fuel card system for the purchase of subsidized fuels at gas stations starting in 2014.

Energy and Mineral Resources deputy minister Susilo Siswoutomo said in Jakarta on Friday that the use of fuel cards was aimed at allowing the government to know for certain about the distribution of subsidized fuels.

“Therefore, this card can also prevent the misallocation of subsidized fuels,” he said.

As an example, if a gas station recorded the sale of 5,000 liters of fuel while only the sale of 4,000 liters had been recorded on fuel cards, then that would mean there were 1,000 liters that had been potentially misallocated.

Susilo said if the system were implemented, such misallocation could be prevented.

He said the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas), in cooperation with several banks, such as BNI, BCA, BRI and Mandiri, would organize the project.

Susilo said the project would be carried out together with existing fuel control and monitoring programs being overseen by state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero).

The government will launch a trial for the project in Bali, Batam and Greater Jakarta.