New task force to fight illegal fuel trade

Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced in February that it was establishing a more powerful task force to combat the illegal trade in subsidized fuel, which is estimated to cost the government some Rp54.7 billion (US$6.02 million) a year.  Tubagus Haryono, the chairman of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) and acting chairman of the team, said that the new team would include representatives from the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office, and would have the power to initiate investigations and prosecutions.  Unlike the previous team, which was overseen by state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, the new team’s day-to-day work will be supervised by the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs. (February 20, 2007)