Jember, E Java (Antara) - Many consumers of non-subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 12-kilogram cylinders in Jember District, East Java, have switched to subsidized LPG as the government had raised its price on September 10, 2014. "I have sold my 12-kilogram LPG cylinder to an agent and switched to LPG in 3-kilogram cylinder to save household expenditure," Yeni Wulandari, a private company employee, stated here on Tuesday. The increase in the price of non-subsidized LPG to Rp1,500 per kilogram or Rp18-20 thousand per cylinder has been burdensome to the public, as the government had already raised the electricity tariff a few weeks ago, she noted. Housewife Irawati in Jember said she had switched from LPG in 12-kilogram cylinders to LPG in 3-kilogram cylinders a few days ago. "I have stopped using my 12-kilogram LPG cylinder and have bought more than two 3-kilogram LPG cylinders to prepare for subsidized LPG shortage due to a high demand for LPG in 3-kilogram cylinders," she noted. The increase in the price of non-subsidized LPG has shocked housewives and small and medium entrepreneurs who have been using LPG in 12-kilogram cylinders, she said. Purnomo, who works for LPG agent PT Obor Besuki Perdana, stated that the sale of LPG in 12-kilogram cylinders had dropped to 50 percent in the wake of the government's decision to raise its price.(*)
