Indonesia faces sharp motor oil price surge and zakat aid expansion as fuel costs rise

In West Bandung, workshop owners report motor oil prices have risen between 10% and 25% over the past month, with some synthetic and imported oils climbing even higher. The increase is attributed to a weakening rupiah against the US dollar and higher global oil and raw‑material costs. Consumers are complaining, but many still purchase oil as essential vehicle maintenance; prices for a typical oil can have jumped from about Rp55,000 to Rp70,000. Other spare‑parts such as tires have also seen modest rises of roughly Rp5,000‑Rp10,000.

Meanwhile, the national zakat agency (Baznas) says the recent fuel price hike is fuelling inflation that hits low‑income households hardest. Requests for zakat assistance have surged, especially for food, health care and micro‑enterprise capital. Baznas is scaling up digital fast‑track distribution, emergency poverty response teams and interest‑free micro‑finance programmes to provide short‑term relief and longer‑term economic resilience for the most vulnerable.