Fuel crisis returns to E. Nusa Tenggara

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Severe fuel shortages have again hit eight regencies in East Nusa Tenggara province on Wednesday, leading to long queues at gasoline stations.

The gasoline scarcity has also caused prices to rise, adding to people's misery. In Atambua and Waingapu regencies, people have had to queue for three hours in order to obtain a ration of premium gasoline.

Employees at gasoline stations blamed state oil and gas company PT Pertamina for the fuel scarcity. According to them, the fuel shortage occurred because Pertamina had cut fuel supplies to the region.

However chief of Pertamina Kupang marketing operations Adi Nugroho denied that the company was responsible for the fuel shortage. He said that the company had distributed additional fuel supplies to the region last Friday. -- JP