Fuel crisis cools down

Fuel crisis cools down

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The fuel crisis in Kupang started
to cool down on Saturday, with the long lines of vehicles waiting
for gasoline starting to disappear.

Security was still tight around gas stations, with police
personnel trying to prevent retail traders from buying gasoline
with containers.

On Saturday, the price of premium gasoline sold by retail
traders started to decline to Rp 7,500 (77 U.S. cents) from the
previous Rp 15,000, although still higher than the official
price of Rp 2,400 per liter.

Head of state oil company Pertamina in Kupang, Adi Nugroho,
said on Saturday that the tanker ship Klawotong carrying 3,900
tones of gasoline -- 1,700 tones of premium and 2,200 tones of
diesel oil -- had arrived on Friday at midnight in Kupang.

"The gasoline is directly distributed to all gas stations in
Kupang," he said, adding that another tanker will soon arrive in
the city with 900 tones of premium gasoline. -- JP