Kerosene crisis continues in numerous regions<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
In the absence of a crackdown on distributors working for state-
\nowned oil company Pertamina, the kerosene crisis continues to
\naffect North Sumatra, West Java, East Java and South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Many people living in rural areas of North Sumatra have been
\nforced to rely on palm oil to meet their fuel needs because of
\nthe ongoing lack of kerosene in the local market, while hundreds
\nof women formed long queues at kerosene distributor outlets in
\nthe provincial capital of Medan on Monday.<\/p>\n
Local retailers said they were finding it difficult to get
\nkerosene supplies from distributors, who insisted they were not
\nwithholding their stock.<\/p>\n
As well as kerosene, supplies of solar and premium have also
\nbeen running low in Asahan regency, especially in the town of
\nTandjung Balai. The kerosene price has soared to Rp 1,500 per
\nliter from the official price of Rp 550 over the last two weeks
\nwhile the premium price has risen to Rp 2,500 from the official
\nrate of Rp 1,450.<\/p>\n
In Cirebon, West Java, an alliance of nongovernmental
\norganizations and political parties held a demonstration in the
\ntown, calling on the Cirebon regency legislature and local
\nadministration to take action against kerosene distributors who
\nwere believed to be withholding their stock in anticipation of
\nthe government's plan to raise fuel prices this month.<\/p>\n
"Distributors who are found to be stockpiling should be
\ncharged with subversion because their actions have affected the
\nmajority of the people," Soenoto, chairman of the Association of
\nEngineers, said here on Monday.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators also called on National Police Chief. Gen.
\nDa'i Bachtiar to step down over the police's failure to take
\naction against kerosene distributors who have stockpiled fuel in
\na bid to reap higher profits after the planned fuel price hikes.<\/p>\n
They also called on President Megawati Soekarnoputri to fire
\nPertamina president Baihaki Hakim, who they believe should be
\nheld responsible for the kerosene shortages.<\/p>\n
"Pertamina has colluded with its distributors and the Police
\nin an attempt to press the government to raise fuel prices
\nimmediately," said Soenoto.<\/p>\n
Maskub Buntoro, chairman of the Cirebon legislature, pledged
\nthat the legislative council would summon Pertamina's
\ndistribution unit in Balongan to give an account of its role in
\nthe regency's kerosene crisis.<\/p>\n
Nana Suryana, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction in the legislative council,
\nsaid his faction had sent a letter to Pertamina's local branch to
\nprotest against the kerosene crisis but it had yet to provide a
\nresponse.<\/p>\n
"Both Pertamina and the government have given the impression
\nthat they have no sense of crisis and that they do not care about
\nthe people's suffering caused by the prolonged economic and
\npolitical crisis," he said.<\/p>\n
Kerosene prices in the regency have soared to between Rp 1,800
\nand Rp 2,200 per liter.<\/p>\n
A number of women in Banyumas, Central Java, have expressed
\ntheir frustration over the kerosene crisis that has been
\naffecting the regency for weeks.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Nurul, 30, a resident of Kembaran village, said she had
\nhad to search for four hours to find two liters of kerosene.<\/p>\n
"We have no firewood because the forest area is far away," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Pertamina's branch offices in the provinces said they had not
\nimplemented any reduction in kerosene supplies but kept silent on
\nwhy they had failed to take action against distributors.<\/p>\n
Gugur Martono, head of the sales division at Pertamina's
\nDistribution Unit in Cilacap, said a task force within the local
\npolice has been deployed to crack down on illegal activities in
\nthe local market but so far the operation has not succeeded in
\nforcing distributors to supply local retailers.<\/p>\n
Juliadi, spokesman for Pertamina's Distribution Unit in Medan,
\nNorth Sumatra, said the market operation launched with the local
\npolice was now under way.<\/p>\n
"We hope Pertamina will be able to deal with the kerosene
\ncrisis in the next three days," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kerosene-crisis-continues-in-numerous-regions-1447893297",
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