JAKARTA - Indonesia’s subsidized fuel is now under a daily purchase ceiling. Starting Wednesday, April 1, private four-wheeled vehicles are limited to 50 liters of Pertalite and Solar per vehicle per day, with purchases required to go through MyPertamina barcodes at the pump.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced the cap at a virtual press conference, broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Tuesday, March 31.

“To ensure fuel distribution, the government will regulate purchasing using the MyPertamina barcode, with a reasonable limit of 50 liters per vehicle,” he said. “However, this does not apply to public transportation.”

Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia joined the press conference from Japan, where he had been accompanying President Prabowo Subianto at the Indonesia-Japan Business Forum held at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo on March 30. 

Bahlil confirmed that the cap does not apply to trucks or buses. “The 50-liter limit per vehicle does not apply to fixed-route transportation or public buses. It's definitely more than that. It's just standard,” he said.

Regarding the cap itself, he added, “In our view, as former public transportation drivers, it's reasonable and wise to fill a car with 50 liters per day. That’s a full tank in one day.”

On pump prices, there will be no adjustment on April 1. Pertamina Patra Niaga stated through its official @pertaminapatraniaga Instagram Story on Tuesday that “there will be no adjustment to fuel prices at Pertamina gas stations as of April 1, 2026. This policy is a follow-up to the Government's directive regarding fuel prices, both subsidized and non-subsidized.”

Minister Secretary of State Prasetyo Hadi separately confirmed in a statement the same day that “Pertamina will not make any price adjustments for either subsidized or non-subsidized fuel.” Pertalite remains at Rp10,000 per liter and Solar at Rp6,800 per liter, making the 50-liter daily Pertalite cap a maximum pump spend of Rp500,000 per vehicle per day.

The measures come as global crude prices surged past US$100 per barrel following U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28, after which Tehran restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Citing Reuters, Brent crude for May delivery was trading at US$111.56 per barrel on Tuesday, up from US$72.48 on February 27, the day before the strikes began.