Fuel shortage and unemployment

Fuel shortage and unemployment

From Koran Tempo

The fuel shortage continues to prevail in several regions, such as Surakarta, Yogyakarta and Central Lombok. In Surakarta, Central Java, hundreds of people have to queue up for hours only to get two liters of kerosene each.

In Yogyakarta, kerosene and gasoline are also scarce. Subscribers will get a maximum of 40 liters of premium gasoline each while new consumer is only rationed to 10 liters.

Central Lombok citizens take two days to obtain a maximum of three cans of kerosene with a permit from the district chief. Fishermen along Java's northern coasts also find it hard to get diesel oil, thus preventing them from fishing.

The same phenomenon will be widespread as long as the government does not overcome the fuel shortage. Consequently, people using fuel for their daily activities will lose their jobs.

Unless the fuel issue is properly solved, the government will be facing a heavier burden, with the new problem of unemployment. From now on, any policy that harms public interests must be avoided.

NURUL S. BAYTI Bogor, West Java