BBM stock forecast to last only 20 days prompts Tanah Gayo residents in Aceh to swarm SPBUs

Long queues formed for fuelling at Public Fuel Stations (SPBU) in Aceh Tengah and Bener Meriah over the past three days. The apparent panic buying is linked to a statement by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia on Monday (2 March) that BBM stocks in Indonesia would last only 20 days.

Aceh Tengah and Bener Meriah are neighbouring districts in central Aceh Province. They were among the areas worst hit by the major floods on 24–27 November 2025.

Media Indonesia’s checks in Takengon, the capital of Aceh Tengah, found at least three fuel pumps where queues extended to about 5 kilometres: SPBU Paya Ilang, SPBU Kemili, and SPBU Nunang Antara.

People queued not only for motorcycles and cars, some of which waited up to four hours, but also carried jerrycans and bottles to store reserves.

Rahmy Zulmaulida, a social issues observer from UIN Sultanah Nahrasiah Lhokseumawe, told Media Indonesia that the surge in queues was believed to be driven by panic. He attributed this to residents’ renewed trauma from the Tanah Gayo region’s floods in late November 2025, when floods, landslides, and road damage left people stranded for around two weeks and caused fuel and staple shortages.

“Quite severe, queues up to 5 kilometres. This morning my father started queuing for fuel at 8am and finished at 12:15pm,” Rahmy Zulmaulida, a Takengon community leader, said.

Moreover, Sumatra flood-evangelist-activists say residents from Aceh Tengah and Bener Meriah have spread the panic-buying to SPBUs in Bireuen and Aceh Utara, driven by extraordinary fear that could rekindle trauma from two months earlier.

Fuel buyers from the highlands of Gayo in Aceh and Bener Meriah were not just stockpiling for personal transport; unofficial traders were also busy selling on to their home regions.

“There are those who descend via Bireuen to SPBU in Bireuen, and others toward Aceh Utara. They carry jerrycans on motorcycles or open-top cars,” Rahmy added.

He noted that residents of Tanah Gayo, fearing World War III, have even bought 3 kg LPG cylinders to store. In Bener Meriah, some residents bought staples such as rice and cooking oil in large quantities to stock up amid fears of wider Middle East conflict. They worry the worrying situation could spread to other areas and persist.

“There are those visiting the Melon LPG depots to buy gas in quantities greater than one,” Rahmy concluded, quoting the 3 kg LPG traders. (MR/E-4)

The panic-buying phenomenon also extended to Bangka, Bangka Belitung.

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