REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - A member of Indonesian House of Representatives, denounced government's plan on gas import. The plan demonstrated that the government did not have a mature and integrated grand design on national energy, member of Commission VII in the House, Rofi Munawar, said.

"Gas import is only a shortcut, as it does not solve our problem," said Munawar on Wednesday. The step, he continued, would trap Indonesia in continuous energy import, as well as the continuing fuel import as opposed to the fact that Indonesia exports 44 percent gas.

Currently, government is urged to optimize alternative and renewable energy. Even though government has a concept for that, he does not see any serious step. According to the data obtained by Munawar, Indonesia has the biggest geothermal resource in the world. The amount reaches almost 29 gigawatt.

Meanwhile, the Director General for oil and gas in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Evita Legowo, explained gas scarcity in Indonesia was due to high demand. Indonesia needs at least 7,808 mmscfd, while the production is only 7,583 mmscfd,

"We are deficit in around 300 million mmscfd (for national purpose)," she said.

The Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Rudi Rubiandini, said the gas import would only be conducted if it was needed to cover increasing domestic needs. "If the price is cheaper, import is not a problem," he said.

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