TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Yuliot Tanjung explained that the distribution of 3-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will not be regulated by a specific policy. Instead, the mechanism will be based on the business permit data owned by the business owners.

"This is not a specific regulation, so we will look at the micro-business permits they already have in the form of NIB (Business Identification Number). With this data, we can determine the needs of each business, the type of business, and its location," said Yuliot when met at his office on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Previously, Minister of ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia stated that SMEs will still have access to subsidized LPG, but with specific regulations. "For SMEs, we still have to provide for them. So, we will also set the rules. Indeed, they will be given differently from regular household consumption," he said while inspecting an LPG depot in Pekanbaru.

Bahlil affirmed that SMEs have a strategic role in the economy and need LPG to run their businesses, such as food vendors who rely on gas for cooking. "They want to sell meatballs, fried noodles, fried bananas, or fried foods. We have to ensure that they can still obtain it (LPG) at an affordable price," he said.

President Prabowo Subianto's latest policy directs that the 3-kilogram LPG subsidy must be more targeted. One of the steps taken is to reactivate retailers as sub-official Pertamina depots. "Starting today, all retailers throughout Indonesia are reactivated under the sub-depots," said Bahlil.

Corporate Secretary of Pertamina Patra Niaga, Heppy Wulansari, revealed that nearly 63 million Population Identification Numbers (NIK) have been registered in the Monitoring and Control System (MAP). Of this total, 8.6 million NIKs are from micro-business owners.

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