Fuel queues not getting shorter in some regions<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jambi\/Bandung<\/p>\n
After four days of fuel shortage, the people of Yogyakarta
\nbreathed a sigh of relief on Thursday as the supply of premium
\ngasoline returned to normal in the city.<\/p>\n
However, the fuel shortage remained a problem on the same day
\nfor residents in other cities across the archipelago, including
\nSemarang, Kupang and Jambi.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, the long queues had disappeared on Thursday at
\nseveral gasoline stations in the city. It took only 15 minutes
\nfor each motorist to fill up, compared to one hour when the
\nshortage peaked a few days ago.<\/p>\n
In a gasoline station in Mertoyudan, the long queues were not
\nseen since Wednesday as the supply of fuel had returned to
\nnormal. "Today, the longest queue was up to 20 motorcycles," said
\nSuwanto, a gasoline station employee, was quoted as saying by
\ndetik.com news portal on Thursday.<\/p>\n
In Bengkulu, a brawl erupted in front of a gasoline station in
\nthe province. The incident began when residents were queuing at a
\ngasoline station on Jl. S. Parman in the city at 8 a.m. Suddenly,
\na motorcyclist cut into the queue, sparked the ire of other
\npeople in the queue. Some motorcyclists told him to join the
\nqueue, but he shouted back, prompting them to mob him, said
\nPadjri, a witness. The man was saved by several police personnel
\nguarding the gasoline station, said Padjri, as quoted by Antara
\nnews agency.<\/p>\n
Bengkulu has been hit by the fuel shortage since a week ago,
\ncausing long queues at several gasoline stations in the city.<\/p>\n
In Pagar Alam regency, South Sumatra province, the fuel
\nshortage has forced sidewalk fuel traders to look for other work.
\nZaleha, a petty trader, said that she had not been able to get
\nfuel from gasoline stations for the past week.<\/p>\n
Zaleha is now selling various fried snacks such as banana
\nfritters. "I have to do it in order to provide for my family,"
\nsaid Zaleha, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, the capital of Central Java, the fuel shortage is
\nstill plaguing the city, pushing fuel prices up. Several gasoline
\nstations in the city were closed on Thursday, including those on
\nthoroughfares Jl. Majapahit and Jl. Achmad Yani.<\/p>\n
Some petty traders took advantage of the long queues by buying
\npremium gasoline from gasoline stations and selling it again to
\nthe public at higher prices. The traders sold the gasoline at up
\nto Rp 4,000 a liter, far above the normal price of Rp 2,400 a
\nliter.<\/p>\n
An official at state oil and gas company Pertamina's Semarang
\noffice, Hepi Wulansari, expressed regret that the residents had
\nbeen affected by panic buying. "The supply of gasoline is
\nsufficient in the city, but I don't know why people are flocking
\nin droves to the gasoline stations here," said Hepi, as quoted by
\ndetik.com.<\/p>\n
In Jambi province, Jambi provincial council has opened two
\nhotlines in order to allow the public to convey any complaints on
\nthe fuel shortage. The numbers are (0741) 62656 for fixed lines
\nand 0816-3204-244 for cell phones. "The hotline will be active 24
\nhours a day," said Libran, a senior councillor.<\/p>\n
In the province, the fuel shortage has prevented fishermen
\nfrom going out to sea. Fishermen in West Tanjungjabung regency in
\nJambi had not gone to sea for the past three days due to the
\nshortage of diesel fuel.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, dozens of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)
\nstudents staged a protest here, demanding that the government
\naudit Pertamina, the sole supplier of fuel in the country, which
\nis responsible for the fuel shortage.<\/p>",
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