Kupang people fear fuel crisis<\/p>\n
Antara, Kupang<\/p>\n
Fearing a fuel shortage and subsequent soaring prices, residents
\npacked gasoline stations in East Nusa Tenggara town of Kupang on
\nTuesday with long lines of vehicles snaking out of gasoline
\nstations in the city center.<\/p>\n
State oil company Pertamina announced earlier that the premium
\ngasoline supply would only be sufficient for the next five days.<\/p>\n
Soon, cars and motorcycles as well as people coming in with
\njerrycans started to wait in line at gasoline stations in Kelapa
\nLima and Oebufu areas.<\/p>\n
A driver of a public minivan, Marthen Lado, complained that
\nthe gas station's staff still served those coming in with
\njerrycans although a notice at the gas station clearly said: "We
\ndo not sell gasoline in jerrycans or containers".<\/p>\n
"I've been waiting in line for three hours but we're ignored,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He hoped the police would take action against those buying
\ngasoline with jerrycans out of the suspicion that they were
\nretailers who would hoard the gasoline and then profit by selling
\nit at a high price once the supply was finished.<\/p>\n
"If they're not stopped, gasoline can reach Rp 10,000 per
\nliter like what happened in July," Marthen said.<\/p>\n
The city was hit by a fuel crisis last month causing the price
\nof gasoline to escalate to Rp 15,000 per liter.<\/p>\n
A gasoline station staff in Kelapa Lima said that he served
\ncustomers carrying jerrycans since they had a permit to purchase
\nthe gasoline from the subdistrict office. "If they don't have the
\npermit, we don't serve them," said the man, who requested not to
\nbe named.<\/p>\n
Head of the Pertamina office in Kupang, Adi Nugroho, said
\nearlier that the supply of premium gasoline would only be enough
\nfor the next five days.<\/p>\n
The company expects to receive 4,000 kiloliters of premium
\ngasoline and 3,000 kiloliters of diesel fuel on Aug. 19.<\/p>\n
He said there was no need for customers to panic otherwise
\npeople would think there was a fuel crisis.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kupang-people-fear-fuel-crisis-1447899208",
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