TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Tempo English compiled the top 3 news on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Here are the highlights: Indonesia Enforces 50-Liter Fuel Cap Until May 2026; University of Indonesia Hits New Milestone in QS World Rankings; and Indonesia Has Enough Funds to Withstand US$100 Oil, Says Purbaya.
The Indonesian government has limited the purchase of subsidized fuel such as Pertalite and Solar to 50 liters per day from April to May 2026. Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that this regulation is based on a circular issued by the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas). “Referring to that and it will apply for 2 months,” he said during a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Monday, April 6, 2026. Prior to this, there was a Decree from the Head of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) Number 024/KOM/BPH.DBBM/2026 which was established on March 30, 2026. The implementation of the restriction on the purchase of subsidized fuel is regulated for private and public vehicles. The 2-month implementation coincides with 8 policies regarding the national work culture transformation. The key points in it include the implementation of working from home for civil servants (ASN) every Friday, travel efficiency, and the recommendation of WFH one day a week for state-owned enterprises, regional state-owned enterprises, and private companies.
In a historic first for the 2026 QS World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject, University of Indonesia (UI) has seen its academic disciplines successfully enter all five broad subject categories: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences & Management, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, and Natural Sciences. “This achievement marks improvement from the previous year, which only covered four broad subjects,” stated UI Rector Heri Hermansyah in a written statement received on Friday, April 3, 2026. Heri emphasized that this accomplishment demonstrates UI’s dominance at the national level and strengthens its position as a major force in Southeast Asia. He noted that the university is at a crucial juncture where its foundation as a national leader is solid, while its foothold as a regional power in Southeast Asia is beginning to take definitive shape.
Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said Indonesia will keep prices of subsidized fuel unchanged through the end of 2026, despite rising global oil prices triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East. Purbaya said the government still has enough fiscal room to maintain fuel subsidies after reallocating spending from various ministries and state agencies. He estimated the 2026 state budget deficit would remain at around 2.9 percent of gross domestic product, similar to the previous year. “As long as supply is available, we still have a financial cushion of around Rp490 trillion in unspent budget funds, and if necessary, those funds can still be used,” he said at a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Monday, April 6, 2026.
