Expert: Public Concerns over Fuel Shortages During Eid Period Successfully Allayed
A researcher from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Ary Bachtiar Krishna Putra, has commended the success of the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia in ensuring the stability of fuel oil (BBM) supplies during the 2026 Eid period. This effort is seen as having effectively dispelled public concerns regarding energy crises amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
Previously, estimates suggested that national BBM reserves would only last 20 days and could be depleted coinciding with the mudik exodus. However, as of Wednesday (25/3/2026), energy availability on the ground was monitored as safe and under control.
“The government has extensive experience in guaranteeing BBM availability and pricing. Managing energy needs during annual events like mudik makes anticipating demand surges easier,” said Ary in his statement on Wednesday (25/3/2026).
This researcher from the ITS Thermal Engineering and Energy Systems Laboratory (RTSE) explained that BBM consumption patterns during Eid tend to be predictable due to the limited timeframe of about one week. In addition to government preparedness, public awareness in controlling consumption is also a key factor.
“I see that in some areas, the queues for BBM are no longer too long. The public is starting to be prudent and not wasteful, the benefits of which are greatly felt in supply stability,” he added.
On the other hand, Ary highlighted the role of biodiesel programmes such as B50, which have significantly reduced Indonesia’s dependence on diesel imports, although reliance on petrol imports remains a concern.
Despite successfully navigating the critical 2026 Eid period, Ary reminded that fundamentally, Indonesia’s energy resilience still faces challenges in storage capacity. Currently, national reserves are in the range of 20 to 28 days, far below neighbouring countries like Singapore or Japan, which can store reserves for months.
He fully supports the government’s strategic plan to increase BBM storage capacity to 90 days to strengthen national economic defences against global price fluctuations.
“If we can reach 90 days, that would be extraordinary. It means that if world market prices rise and fall, we still have time and reserves from previous procurements to keep domestic prices stable,” Ary emphasised.
The energy diplomacy conducted by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia in Tokyo, Japan, is seen as a strong signal of Indonesia’s shifting position on the global power map.
An economist from the State University of Surabaya (UNESA), Hendry Cahyono, has commended the energy diplomacy of Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia regarding RI-Japan energy cooperation.
Indonesia commits to strengthening national energy resilience through diversification of oil supplies. One of them is through negotiations for cooperation with Brunei Darussalam.
Indonesia and Japan signed cooperation on critical minerals and nuclear energy at the Indo Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum in Tokyo.
The BPH Migas has assured safe BBM supplies on the Bogor-Puncak-Cianjur route during the 2026 Eid holiday traffic. BBM motorised services are also on standby.
All infrastructure from BBM terminals to petrol stations on critical routes has been prepared 24 hours a day. This is to anticipate increased vehicle density.
Buffer regions like Maros even recorded stocks exceeding 10,200 litres per petrol station, serving as a buffer supply if there is a sudden consumption surge in Makassar.