Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Bahlil Lahadalia assured that online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers will still be able to purchase subsidized fuel, despite plans to revise the subsidy scheme.

He explained that the government is currently reviewing the criteria for determining who will be eligible for subsidized fuel, commonly known as Pertalite. The RON 90 fuel is priced at Rp 10,000 or $0.63 per liter.

"We are still finalizing the subsidy scheme, and one option could be a blend of fuel subsidies and something like BLT (direct cash transfer)," Bahlil said on the sidelines of the 2024 Indonesia Mining Summit at Hotel Mulia, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Bahlil added that while the subsidy scheme is still under discussion, the primary goal is to ensure that subsidies reach the right targets, particularly for public transportation such as taxis and city buses, which are identified by yellow license plates.

Although ojol drivers are widely used by the public, they are not considered public transport. The government is still considering how to ensure ojol drivers can benefit from the subsidy. Indonesia has around 4 million online drivers.

"For ojol, there is an ongoing discussion about how to distinguish online drivers' vehicles from private motorcycles," he said. Both types of vehicles use black license plates to indicate private ownership, but ojol drivers can be identified by their company uniforms or jackets.

Initially, Bahlil had suggested that ojol drivers might not qualify for subsidized fuel, as online motorcycle taxis are considered private vehicles rather than public transport. This sparked reactions, including from Bambang Patijaya, Chairman of Commission XII of the House of Representatives, who urged the government to consider the needs of 4 million ojol drivers who rely heavily on fuel subsidy.

Nevertheless, Bahlil emphasized that the final decision on fuel subsidy recipients is still under discussion.

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