Auto owners fuming over Pertamina move
JAKARTA (JP): Many vehicle owners in the capital feel they have been cheated by Pertamina, which stopped adding an important fuel modifier to gasoline sold in the country without a public announcement.
Contacted by The Jakarta Post on Monday, some car owners angrily demanded that the state oil and gas company, the sole firm responsible for supplying petrol in the country, immediately reverse its decision to terminate the import of Detergent III Plus, previously added to fuel sold throughout Indonesia.
Senior advocate Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, who showed his surprise and upset over the controversial decision kept secret by Pertamina until last week, asked that the state firm pay compensation for the losses suffered by consumers, such as damage caused to vehicle engines through the use of petrol lacking the additive.
"Although the government would later review the policy (by resuming imports of the additive), the government should still be held responsible for the consumers by giving, for instance, compensation payments to them," Abdul Hakim said.
According to the vice chairman of the Indonesian Customers Association (YLKI), Agus Pambagio, Pertamina, by removing the additive from the fuel without making a public announcement, had acted negligently.
"Pertamina can be categorized as having cheated its customers.
"We will wait for the proper time to prepare the legal suit against the state firm," Agus said on Monday.
Pertamina admitted to halting the import of Detergent III Plus, one of three substances added to automotive gas for sale in Indonesia, only last Thursday, three months after imposing the decision on April 1 this year.
According to the firm's spokesman, Toto Suparto, the termination of the import was determined by Pertamina's government board of commissioners to save money.
The gas, sold nationwide, has reportedly already caused damage to the engines of many cars. Particularly vulnerable are expensive models, such as late-model BMWs, because of their engines made to tight tolerances.
A number of people, including car experts and vehicle agents here, have expressed anger over Pertamina's failure to publicly announce it had discontinued the use of the fuel additive, used to keep engines clean and avoid corrosion.
Toto said Pertamina "will soon evaluate the decision of the halt to the import of the additive" if consumers were unhappy with it.
When asked, many vehicle owners said they knew nothing about the absence of Detergent III Plus in the gasoline.
"I really don't know," said Dedy, an owner of a Peugeot sedan.
M. Zen, who drives a Kijang minivan, said Pertamina had made the wrong decision.
"It will cause damage to car components," said the employee of city water company PDAM Jaya.
Atjai of Jelambar, West Jakarta, who has several cars, was shocked with the news.
"Gosh, how could the government treat their citizens like this?" the owner of a vehicle seat factory said.
Heru Suratman, an owner of a Toyota sedan, said: "Pertamina is totally wrong for not informing the customers."
Fuel expert Anton L. Wartawan suggested that motor car owners temporarily use the alternative Super TT fuel, which he said probably still contains Detergent III Plus.
"Or just regularly take the engine every three months to the repair shop," Anton said. (asa/ind/bsr)