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