Diesel fuel crisis hits Central Java, Jakarta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A shortage in supplies of diesel fuel is being
\nexperienced again in parts of Java but state oil company
\nPertamina insisted on Saturday that the supply was sufficient for
\nthe next three weeks.<\/p>\n
Pertamina suspects that the problem lies in the transportation
\nsystem which is controlled by the private sector.<\/p>\n
This time the hardest hit by the shortage is Central Java. In
\nJakarta, an undersupply of diesel fuel has been reported in West
\nand East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Dozens of gasoline stations in Banyumas and Pemalang regencies
\nput up the sign Solar habis (Diesel out) at their entrances.
\nStation owners said their supply had been slashed by half.<\/p>\n
Bus and truck drivers reported that they had to travel great
\ndistances to get the fuel. Roadside fuel sellers were also at a
\nloss as to why the commodity had disappeared.<\/p>\n
Santoso, a gasoline station manager in Purbalingga said that
\nbefore the latest shortage, he would receive 32,000 liters of
\ndiesel fuel a day. \"Today, we get only half of that. The supply
\ncomes at 12 p.m. and the next supply comes at about the same time
\nthe following day.\"<\/p>\n
Santosa has experienced this shortage in supply since the
\nbeginning of the month and he was told that Pertamina had cut the
\nsupply.<\/p>\n
Hiswana Migas, Pertamina's partner which distributes the fuel
\nto agents, confirmed the reduction in supply from Pertamina.<\/p>\n
\"The policy is needed, otherwise most of the fuel would be
\nbought by the industrial sector,\" said Anas Pribadi, deputy
\nchairman of Hiswana Migas of Banyumas.<\/p>\n
The government has set the diesel fuel price at Rp 1,190 per
\nliter for industrial purposes and Rp 900 for private use. The
\nindustrial price is half the international price and is subject
\nto regular review.<\/p>\n
The local Pertamina spokesman based in Cilacap Husni Banser
\ntold The Jakarta Post that Pertamina maintained its diesel fuel
\nproduction at 1.8 million barrels this month.<\/p>\n
\"There is no cut in production,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The limitation in supply has also badly affected gasoline
\nstations along the busy north coast highways, the backbone of
\ntransportation routes in Java. Long queues of trucks and cars at
\ngasoline stations have become a common sight.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the shortage of diesel fuel has been reported over
\nthe past two days. \"The supply comes once every two days,\" said a
\ngasoline pump attendant on Jl. Panjang, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The crisis has, as of Saturday, not caused serious traffic
\njams due to the long queues of vehicles in gasoline stations in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Tuti Anggraeni, manager of Pertamina's home supply and
\nmarketing, said in Jakarta there was no problem with supply as
\nfar as Pertamina was concerned.<\/p>\n
Pertamina spokesman Adiatma Sardjito had a different version.
\nHe said the existing supply was enough for the next 23 days. Fuel
\nin Greater Jakarta is supplied from Balongan refinery plant in
\nIndramayu, West Java, from Lampung and from abroad.<\/p>\n
\"The reason (for the scarcity in Jakarta) could be either in
\nthe transportation system, which is controlled by the private
\nsector, or due to factories buying their fuel at gasoline
\nstations (which is prohibited),\" he said. (45\/iwa\/pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/diesel-fuel-crisis-hits-central-java-jakarta-1447893297",
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