JakartaPost-Mar 29, 2026
President Prabowo Subianto has instructed his ministers to immediately secure energy supplies from countries outside the Middle East to avert a potential energy emergency like those hitting other Asian nations. At the same time, the government is continuing negotiations with Iran to allow Indonesian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, access that the Middle Eastern country has granted to other nations amid its ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stressed that domestic fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies are secure, despite adding that the escalating war presents a critical risk. Approximately 20 percent of Indonesia’s crude oil imports come from the Middle East and transit through the Strait of Hormuz, while national reserves are limited to a maximum of 28 days. “On that basis, the President ordered my team and me last night to immediately seek our oil supplies from almost all countries, then optimize all the energy we have,” Bahlil said on Thursday. A day later, the minister stated that shipments of LPG purchased from several countries remained on track. However, he cautioned that rising international competition for energy commodities may expose Indonesia, which imports 70 percent of its LPG needs. While some Asian nations have declared energy emergencies, Indonesia has stopped short of following suit, with officials instead floating a work-from-home (WFH) plan and lawmakers proposing to switch off lights at the House of Representatives complex in Central Jakarta, after 8 p.m. Read more at:
