Pertamina not responsible for Aceh fuel distribution<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The state-owned oil company Pertamina
\nhere on Friday refuted allegations that it was responsible for
\nthe power blackout that hit Aceh, contending that "we are not
\nresponsible for the fuel distribution chain."<\/p>\n
"The fuel distribution chain is divided into two parts, with
\none part concerned with (state-owned electricity company) PLN and
\nthe other concerned with industrial requirements," Pertamina's
\nAceh chief Ahmad Faisal told journalists here on Friday.<\/p>\n
"But the transporting of the fuel from the Pertamina depots to
\nthe end users is not our responsibility...Pertamina is not
\ninvolved with the fuel distribution chain."<\/p>\n
Ahmad, however, refused to elaborate on why Pertamina failed
\nto immediately supply fuel on Monday to meet PLN requirements
\nwith the result that Aceh was hit by a three-day power outage.<\/p>\n
"We cannot answer that as Aceh deputy governor Azwar Abubakar
\nis going to explain everything," Ahmad said.<\/p>\n
Ahmad repeatedly skirted questions and refused to clarify many
\npoints raised by journalists during the media briefing, including
\nwhether Pertamina had received threats from Free Aceh Movement
\n(GAM) separatist rebels, especially given the fact that truck
\ndrivers had said that Pertamina workers refused to load their
\ntrucks with fuel.<\/p>\n
"All I can say is that we have enough fuel stocks for the next
\nten days," he explained, adding that Aceh's 4.2 million people
\nneeded an average of 1.43 million liters per day.<\/p>\n
Police, however, said that they will continue probing the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
"Both Pertamina and PLN officials gave conflicting reasons for
\nthe blackouts," spokesman for the Cinta Meunasah security
\noperation Sr. Comr. Kusbini Imbar said on Friday.<\/p>\n
There are suspicions that some Pertamina officials were trying
\nto hoard fuel stocks in anticipation of price increases .<\/p>\n
Violence<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in a separate development in Sigli town, Pidie
\nregency, a group of soldiers were ambushed by GAM rebels on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
One soldier, Sgt. Samsul Bahri, was killed and 13 others were
\ninjured.<\/p>\n
The incident took place in Muko Jurong village in Bandar Dua
\ndistrict, Pidie at around 4 a.m. on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The troops were resting in a small mosque when rebels
\nsuddenly attacked them. A gunfight was unavoidable and in the end
\nthe assailants fled the scene," Pidie Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
\nRestu M. Budianto said later in the day.<\/p>\n
"We don't know the exact number of assailants involved as they
\nescaped into the jungle," Restu said.<\/p>\n
The victims were rushed to Lhokseumawe's Lilawangsa Army
\nHospital and Sigli General Hospital for treatment.<\/p>\n
In East Aceh, two bodies were recovered from under a bridge in
\nBeurandeh village on Friday. The identities of the victims have
\nnot been ascertained and both of the bodies were taken to Langsa
\nGeneral Hospital.<\/p>\n
Separately in Padang, West Sumatra, the Bukit Barisan Military
\nCommander, Maj. Gen. IG. Purnawa, called for an end to the Aceh
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Tengku Al Kamal, a member of the moratorium on
\nviolance in Aceh monitoring committee was beaten unconscious by
\nHamdani, an alleged hoodlum, in Tapak Tuan, South Aceh on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
"Hamdani was a notorious hoodlum in Tapak Tuan in South Aceh.
\nHe has been arrested for the assault," South Aceh Police chief
\nAdj. Sr. Comr. Mohammad Ali Husein said on Friday.<\/p>\n
The incident reportedly began when Hamdani accused Tengku
\nKamal of being partial and favoring the rebels instead of the
\ngovernment. (edt\/50\/51\/28)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pertamina-not-responsible-for-aceh-fuel-distribution-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}