RI to Timor Leste fuel smuggling goes unabated<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang<\/p>\n
Fuel smuggling has been widespread over the Batam-East Kalimantan
\nborder and also over the border of West Timor regency and the
\nneighboring country of Timor Leste, causing hundreds of thousands
\nof U.S. dollars in losses to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
A senior Army official alleged that the fuel was smuggled via
\nboth sea and land transportation into the neighboring country.
\nThe diesel fuel is allegedly smuggled out by tanker from South
\nSulawesi province, while kerosene and premium are dispatched to
\nthe neighboring country over the border between West Timor
\nregency and Timor Leste.<\/p>\n
The illegal export of fuel has been on the rise due to the
\nprice disparity between Indonesia and Timor Leste. The price of
\npremium, kerosene and diesel fuel is lower in Indonesia as it has
\nbeen heavily subsidized by the government, while the price of
\nfuel is higher in the neighboring country as there is no
\ngovernment subsidy.<\/p>\n
Due to the higher prices in Timor Leste, irresponsible parties
\nin Indonesia, with the help of their Timor Leste counterparts,
\nhave smuggled fuel and gasoline into the neighboring country as
\nother smugglers have done over the border between Batam and
\nSingapore.
\n In Timor Leste, the price of kerosene is Rp 7,500 a liter,
\npremium Rp 10,000 a liter and diesel fuel Rp 7,500 a liter, or
\napproximately five times the Indonesian price.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Army claims to have fought smuggling for years,
\nbut the illicit activity has continued unabated.<\/p>\n
\"The surveillance by Timor Leste Police and the Army has been
\nweak. As an example, along the Motaain and Nunura border, there
\nare six Indonesian Army posts but no Timor Leste Police or
\nmilitary outposts,\" said Lt. Col. Yul Aviandi, the chief of an
\nIndonesian task force assigned to secure the Indonesian and Timor
\nLeste border.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Army has foiled several smuggling attempts into
\nTimor Leste but still the illicit operations continue. Yul
\nestimated that in a month some 2,000 liters of gasoline and fuel
\nhad been smuggled into Timor Leste, causing huge losses to the
\nstate.<\/p>\n
Belu Police chief overseeing West Timor regency Adj. Sr. Comr.
\nEkotrio Budhiniar claimed the smuggling was organized by West
\nTimor residents who cooperated with their relatives in Timor
\nLeste.<\/p>\n
The rampant smuggling over the Indonesian and Timor Leste
\nborder has also been confirmed by local residents. Fuel and other
\nbasic necessities have been smuggled into East Timor via unmapped
\nroutes that are infrequently used. \"It's hard to stop the
\nsmuggling because the illicit activities have allegedly been
\nbacked by security personnel,\" said Mundus Sako, quoted as saying
\nby Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
The antismuggling operations have targeted petty traders who
\nare caught with five to 10 liters of fuel, while the big traders
\nare left untouched, said Mundus.<\/p>\n
Fuel smuggling hit media headlines in the past week after
\nreports surfaced of Pertamina officials' alleged involvement in
\nfuel smuggling in Batam and East Kalimantan.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-to-timor-leste-fuel-smuggling-goes-unabated-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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