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Indonesian Pertamina

raises oil prices

JAKARTA: Indonesian state oil and gas company Pertamina has unexpectedly raised the prices of Premix, an automotive fuel with additives, and high-octane Super TT gasoline, reports said on Sunday.

In a surprise move, Pertamina on Saturday raised the price of Premix by 15.3 percent to 1,500 rupiah (20 cents) per litre and Super TT by 14.3 percent to 1,600 rupiah per litre, the Jakarta Post said.

Unlike subsidised fuels such as kerosene, regular gasoline and automotive diesel oil, Pertamina has the authority to set the prices of Premix and Super TT.

"It is usually affluent people who buy Premix or Super TT, that is why there is no subsidy on their prices," Pertamina spokesman Toto Suparto said according to the Post.

Pump stations were only notified late on Saturday of the price increase, the report said.

The government last month cancelled a planned increase in fuel prices after mounting protests.ÑAFP