The actual price of Pertalite fuel has once again become a public discussion after a Pertamina gas station receipt went viral, showing a price of Rp16,088 per liter before subsidies. The finding led many netizens to question the fuel subsidy scheme that has been implemented by the government.

Pertamina Patra Niaga Corporate Secretary Roberth M V Dumatubun explained that the price listed on the receipt reflected the economic value of Pertalite before government subsidies were applied for consumers.

According to him, energy subsidies are provided to maintain people’s purchasing power while also supporting national economic activity. Therefore, the retail price of Pertalite remains at Rp10,000 per liter for consumers.

“The subsidy is intended to maintain national stability, both in terms of preserving people’s purchasing power and ensuring the economy continues to operate,” Roberth stated in a comment to CNBC Indonesia quoted on Monday (May 11, 2026).

Previously, a widely discussed post on the Threads platform displayed details of Pertalite’s base price before receiving government subsidies.

The receipt showed that Pertalite’s base price reached Rp16,088 per liter. However, consumers only paid Rp10,000 per liter because the government provided a subsidy of Rp6,088 for every liter of fuel purchased.

The finding immediately triggered public questions. This was because the base price of Pertalite, which has an RON 90 rating, appeared to be higher than Pertamax with an RON 92 rating, which is currently sold at around Rp12,300 per liter in the Greater Jakarta area.

The narrative circulating on social media then evolved into a debate regarding fuel pricing logic. Many netizens questioned why subsidies were allocated to Pertalite instead of Pertamax, which is considered to have higher fuel quality.

Responding to the issue, Roberth emphasized that Pertamax is a non-subsidized fuel product, meaning its selling price follows market mechanisms. “Pertamax is a non-subsidized fuel because its price follows market conditions. However, the government coordinated with Pertamina so there would be no price adjustment as of April 1, 2026. The price of Pertamax was maintained so it would not increase,” Roberth explained.

As is known, Pertamina and the government indeed decided to keep Pertamax prices unchanged. If it fully followed market pricing, the RON 92 fuel should have experienced a significant price increase. “If Pertamax were priced based on its economic value, it would actually be more expensive than unsubsidized Pertalite at Rp16,008,” Roberth stressed.