A day before Eid al-Fitr 1447 H\/2026 AD, on Friday (20\/3), the\navailability of subsidised fuel oil (BBM) type Pertalite was scarce\nalong the National Route from Banda Aceh to Medan. The fuel crisis for\nmotorcycles and cars specifically occurred in the Pidie Regency area,\nAceh Province.<\/p>\n
From observations by Media Indonesia on Friday in the early hours\nbefore suhoor around 03:00 WIB until approaching noon, holiday\ntravellers entering petrol stations to fill up with Pertalite were\nforced to leave empty-handed. Filling station attendants only waved\ntheir hands signalling that the subsidised fuel was out.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as we entered the petrol station, there were no attendants\nat the Pertalite pump. Then the attendants at other pumps signalled that\nPertalite was empty,\u201d said Muslim, a motorcycle-riding holiday\ntraveller.<\/p>\n
Several Pertamina-controlled fuel service providers along the\nnational route through Pidie Regency that were out of Pertalite included\nthe Pulo Pisang and Bambi petrol stations. Both locations are on the\noutskirts of Sigli, the capital of Pidie Regency, Aceh.<\/p>\n
This unfriendly condition regarding public services has invited\ndisappointment and anxiety among the community and holiday travellers.\nThis is because traffic movement on the second day of mameugang (a\ntradition of eating vegetables or meat dishes) was quite high. Moreover,\nit is the main and busy route connecting Banda Aceh to various\nregencies\/cities in the northern, eastern regions, and even other\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
The busyness on H-1 of Eid al-Fitr Lebaran is the most sacred for the\npeople of Aceh and thousands of local route holiday travellers. They\nwant to shop for mameugang meat needs, buy Eid clothes, and various\nnecessities ahead of the holiday.<\/p>\n
For holiday travellers in the Woe U Gampoeng tradition (returning to\nthe village), they only have limited time to reach their birthplace.\nEspecially expatriates who want to give alms and bring home mameugang\nmeat for relatives in their hometown.<\/p>\n
Rector of Batam University (UNIBA), who is also a native of Aceh\nsociety, Professor Samsul Rizal, through Media Indonesia previously\nstated that Pertamina needs to streamline fuel supply to Aceh. The most\nimportant is the type of subsidised fuel to meet the needs of the\nlower-class community.<\/p>\n
That was said by Prof Samsul about two weeks ago, precisely when\nresidents panic-bought two weeks ago due to issues of limited national\nfuel stocks related to the influence of the US-Israel vs Iran\nconflict.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be smooth and controlled, do not let there be deviations or\nhoarding by certain parties. If necessary, increase the supply quota for\npetrol stations,\u201d said the former Rector of Syiah Kuala University (USK)\nBanda Aceh for two terms.<\/p>\n
According to Prof Samsul, the people of Aceh at the end of November\n2025 experienced a long fuel crisis due to the major Sumatra flood\ndisaster, causing activities in that region to be paralysed. Due to that\nbad experience, the people in the Verandah of Mecca, especially in the\nmajor flood areas, now easily relive past trauma.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is very dangerous and can affect economic turmoil and a crisis\nof trust,\u201d added the professor who was once an exemplary lecturer at USK\nAceh.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/one-day-before-eid-al-fitr-2026-subsidised-fuel-runs-out-at-several-petrol-stations-in-pidie-disappointing-1774007477", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }