Fact Check: Claims of Pertalite Price Cut to Rp 7,000 by Prabowo and Purbaya Debunked

A false claim circulating on social media suggests that President Prabowo and Finance Minister Purbaya have agreed to lower the price of Pertalite fuel to Rp 7,000. Liputan6.com's fact-checking team has investigated this claim. The posts, which began appearing on platforms like Facebook in late August, feature a photo of President Prabowo with text stating, "BBM Turun Gw Tutunkan" (If fuel prices fall, I will make them fall). The accompanying narrative claims that Prabowo and Purbaya have agreed to reduce the price of Pertalite from Rp 10,000 to Rp 7,000 in the near future. However, Liputan6.com's investigation found no official statements or announcements from President Prabowo or Finance Minister Purbaya regarding a price reduction for Pertalite. Instead, as of September 1st, adjustments have been made to the prices of non-subsidized fuels, including Pertamax Turbo, Dexlite, and Pertamina Dex. According to Pertamina Patra Niaga, these adjustments are based on government-determined formulas that consider indicators such as global crude oil prices, exchange rates, taxes, and the public's purchasing power. Specifically, Pertamax Turbo has increased from Rp 18,300 to Rp 19,600 per liter, Dexlite from Rp 19,700 to Rp 23,700 per liter, and Pertamina Dex from Rp 21,150 to Rp 25,200 per liter. Therefore, the claim that President Prabowo and Finance Minister Purbaya agreed to lower Pertalite prices to Rp 7,000 is confirmed to be untrue. Liputan6.com's "Cek Fakta" (Fact Check) initiative, established in 2018 and a member of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), works to combat misinformation and promote media literacy among the public.