NU urges govt to stop liberalization of natural gas sector

Jakarta, NU Online
The Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) urged the government to stop any liberalization efforts in the natural gas sector for being able to threaten the national energy security in addition to disturbing the fulfillment of the needs of efficient energy and in providing high competitiveness for the nation's economy.<>

General Chairman of KH Said Aqil Siroj said tha the government should be able to regulate the marketing of natural gas to provide maximum benefit to the wider community, not a handful of groups.

"Never hand over to the market, the government should intervene," he said in the Focus Group Discussion entitled "Transparency in the National Gas Governance within the Framework of the National Energy Security for People's Welfare" at the NU office, Jakarta, on Thursday (7/11).

This, according to Said, is in linse with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution Article 33 which stated that... economic sectors which are essential for the country and which affect the life of the people, must be controlled by the state. In fact, any religion justify and encourage this regulation.

"The land, the waters and the natural resources therein are basic assets for the people's prosperity and should, therefore, be controlled by the state and exploited to the greatest benefit of the people," he added.

"14 centuries ago the Prophet said, tsalaasun annaasu fiihi syuraka' al- maa'u, wan naar , wal kalaa'. "people are partners in three things: water, fire and pastures," he said.

Reporting by Mahbib Khoiron; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq