RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The government has confirmed that Indonesia’s petroleum product imports do not come solely from the Middle East, with the current import structure dominated by crude oil rather than refined products.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said Indonesia imports only about 20 percent of its total crude oil from the Middle East. “The rest comes from Angola, Nigeria, Brazil, and parts of the Americas, as well as some from Malaysia,” Bahlil said during a plenary cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday, March 13, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He explained that Indonesia is currently meeting its diesel fuel needs through domestic production, supported by the biodiesel blending program and the Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) project in Balikpapan.

However, Indonesia continues to import gasoline from neighboring countries, primarily Malaysia and Singapore. “Going forward, if there is indeed no other way, we must develop our refineries to produce domestically,” he said.

Minister Bahlil added that the government is strengthening domestic refinery capacity to reduce import dependence, considering refinery development a strategic step to bolster national energy security. He also assured that national fuel and LPG stocks remain secure ahead of the holiday season, with reserves exceeding government-set minimum thresholds.

Reserves of non-subsidized Pertamax gasoline with RON 92 stand at about 28 days, above the minimum threshold of 11 days. Pertamax Turbo with RON 98 has reserves of around 31 days. Subsidized diesel reserves are recorded at approximately 16.41 days, while non-subsidized diesel reserves stand at about 46 days. ***