Govt urged to act to curb fuel smuggling<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Reform faction legislator has called on the
\ngovernment to take strict measures against \"rife\" fuel smuggling
\nwhich he said was causing massive losses to government and
\nconsumers.<\/p>\n
\"The government must take strict action because smuggling has
\ncaused diesel oil and kerosene scarcities in Central and East
\nJava, East Kalimantan and several other provinces,\" faction
\ndeputy-secretary Alvin Lie said.<\/p>\n
He said fuel smuggling should be declared subversion because
\nfuel was subsidized in the state budget.<\/p>\n
Lie, also a member of the House's commission for industry and
\ntrade and the budget committee, alleged that smuggling had been
\nconducted for some time in Jakarta, Palembang, South Sumatra and
\nBatam, Riau.<\/p>\n
He also alleged that officials from state-owned fuel company
\nPertamina and the Association of Army Cooperatives (Inkopad) may
\nbe involved.<\/p>\n
Pertamina should be held responsible for the smuggling because
\nit is in charge of distributing the fuel nationwide, he said.<\/p>\n
Lie said that a confidential intelligence report on fuel
\nsmuggling to Jakarta Military Chief Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
\non April 3, 2000, reveled that several officers from the
\nassociation were found to be involved in the smuggling.<\/p>\n
The report alleges that association members oversaw the piping
\nof around 1,200 tons of diesel oil and kerosene onto several
\nbarges at Tanjungpriok port on March 23 and March 24, 2000.<\/p>\n
The fuel was loading at night and then transferred to several
\ntankers waiting out to sea to be transported to Malaysia and
\nSingapore, said the report.<\/p>\n
It said the illegal selling of fuel involved four officers,
\nincluding an Army lieutenant colonel from the association.<\/p>\n
Inkopad chairman Brig. Gen. Sudjalmo was not available for
\ncomment on Tuesday, but a staffer at his office who declined to
\nidentify himself denied the report, saying that Inkopad was not
\ninvolved in fuel smuggling. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-urged-to-act-to-curb-fuel-smuggling-1447893297",
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