Public Voices Support for B50 Program, Hoping for Stable Supply and Better Enviromental Outcomes

As President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated the B50 program at the km 57 Rest Area in Karawang regency, West Java province on Thursday (07/09), many members of the public voiced hopes that it would deliver better environmental outcomes, offer a more affordable fuel alternative, and help reduce Indonesia’s dependence on energy imports.

Among those queuing at the petrol station was Rafi, who welcomed the rollout of the B50 mandate, which requires a 50/50 blend of palm oil biodiesel and diesel.

According to him, using biodiesel with higher plant-based content is a positive government initiative for environmental preservation.

“I believe the B50 is much more eco-friendly. It is one of the Government’s efforts to reduce pollution,” he said, while expressing hope that the program would also ensure a more stable fuel supply.

“I hope there will be a more abundant supply. Sometimes I had difficulty [to obtain diesel fuel] before the B50 rollout. Supply should be stable after this launch. As for the price, it is already affordable,” he said.

Rafi also expressed appreciation to the Government for its innovations.

“Thank you to the Government for continuously creating innovations for the people, for the public interest,” he said.

A coconut vendor from Ciamis regency, Oyo, shared a similar sentiment. As he travels a long journey to deliver coconuts to the regencies of Indramayu and Karawang, fuel costs are a crucial component of his business.

“Moving forward, I hope everything will go smoothly, prices will be lower, and the fuel will be good for the machine. I hope the Government will keep the fuel prices from increasing so it does not burden the public,” he said.

Meanwhile, Imron, a truck driver who used B50 for the first time on Thursday (09/07), expressed hope that the biodiesel will offer greater benefits for freight drivers.

“I hope it will be cheaper and not priced the same as Biosolar, since B50 is made from palm oil,” he said, referring to the B40 fuel sold at state-owned oil company Pertamina’s petrol stations.

Vivi, a Biosolar user who also used B50 for the first time that day, stated that it is a good step toward reducing Indonesia’s reliance on energy imports.

“It is a good move if it means we no longer import fuel. I hope that in the future, it will be more affordable and perform well in diesel car engines,” she said.

In the meantime, Riandi, who works at a travel agency, stated that B50 is an innovation that brings optimism to the transportation and logistics sectors.

Riandi noted that the use of biodiesel can strengthen national energy security and expressed hope that biodiesel development will continue for greater public benefit.

“This is great, especially for the people of Indonesia who use diesel fuel. Hopefully, biodiesel will continue to develop, become cheaper, and offer better engine performance for its users,” he remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (DH/EP)