Fuel shortages hit E. Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Kupang\/Cirebon<\/p>\n
More fuel shortages have hit East Nusa Tenggara, pushing premium
\ngasoline up to Rp 15,000 (US$1.5) a liter for motorists, stopping
\nbuses and public minivans in major towns and grounding fishermen
\nwho depend on diesel for their boats.<\/p>\n
The shortages affected motorists in the East and West Sumba
\nregencies on Thursday and fishermen in Kupang city and Manggarai
\nregency, many of whom left their boats on shore. Shortages of
\nkerosene meant housewives in some areas turned to firewood as a
\ncooking source.<\/p>\n
In the West Sumba capital of Waikabubak, most buses and
\nminivans had stopped operating on Wednesday, with many people
\nforced to walk to work. Other vehicles were seen lining up at gas
\nstations, waiting for fresh supplies to arrive.<\/p>\n
"We've been at this gas station since Wednesday night, waiting
\nto get diesel," said Umbu Maniaga, a bus driver.<\/p>\n
On Sumba island, retailers were seen selling premium gasoline
\nat Rp 15,000 a liter, more than six times the official Rp 2,400
\nrate.<\/p>\n
In Manggarai regency, the lack of diesel for fishermen meant a
\ncorresponding increase in fish prices at local markets.<\/p>\n
Manggarai Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Office head Primus
\nDarman called for state oil company Pertamina to immediately plug
\nthe deficit in the area.<\/p>\n
"Many fishermen have come to me, complaining about the diesel
\nshortages. If the situation is left as it is, it will affect the
\nfishermen's livelihoods and the regency's revenue," he said.<\/p>\n
In Kupang, kerosene has been hard to find since Saturday, with
\nthe Oebobo, Alak and Kelapalima subdistricts the worst hit.<\/p>\n
Pertamina Kupang marketing unit head Winrian Kurnia blamed the
\nscarcity on the decreasing supply allocations from the central
\ngovernment coupled with increasing usage, saying the province had
\nalready used 54 percent of its yearly allocation in the first
\nfive months.<\/p>\n
The government allocated 117,067 kiloliters of premium
\ngasoline for the province this year. "We have used 63,314
\nkiloliters from January to June, the rest is meant for the next
\nsix months," Winrian said.<\/p>\n
Out of the allotted 186,187 kiloliters of diesel, 93,288
\nkiloliters or around 50.1 percent had been used by June, he said.<\/p>\n
A tanker carrying premium and diesel fuel would deal with the
\nshortage but on only in the Belu and Timor Tengah Utara
\nregencies, Winrian said.<\/p>\n
"The ship has arrived at Atapupu harbor in Atambua and will
\ndeal with fuel shortage in Sumba. Pertamina will also distribute
\nadditional premium and diesel fuel from the ship to the Lembada
\nand Rote Ndao regencies."<\/p>\n
Winrian did not know when the other affected areas, especially
\nKupang city and Manggarai would be supplied.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Cirebon, West Java, some 18,000 fishermen have
\nabandoned their boats because of the escalating price of diesel,
\nwhich has reached Rp 5,480 a liter in the area from the official
\nprice of Rp 2,100.<\/p>\n
In Gebang Kulon village, hundreds of boats were seen sitting
\nidle in the harbor.<\/p>\n
"It's been two weeks since the boats have been like that ...
\nThe fishermen cannot afford these high diesel prices," a village
\nhead, Sobirin, said.<\/p>\n
East Nusa Tenggara and Cirebon were some of the many regions
\naffected by the nationwide fuel shortage in June, which occurred
\nwhen Pertamina could not afford to import more petrol after it
\nexceeded the government's national supply quotas.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fuel-shortages-hit-e-nusa-tenggara-1447893297",
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