Governor Bobby Demands Immediate Resolution of Fuel Distribution Disruptions in North Sumatra
North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution has confirmed that fuel stocks in the province are safe, stating that the scarcity at several filling stations is not due to a lack of supply but rather disrupted distribution caused by a shortage of tanker truck drivers. Based on an explanation received from Pertamina, the main issue lies in the distribution of fuel from the depot to petrol stations. ‘Pertamina conveyed that it is not actually the fuel that is scarce. The obstacle is distribution because the number of tanker truck drivers has decreased,’ Bobby said after a coordination meeting at the Governor’s Office in Medan on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
According to information received by the Governor, mass resignations have prevented the transport fleet from operating normally. To address this, the North Sumatra Provincial Government has coordinated with Pertamina, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the National Police to ensure fuel distribution returns to normal. Bobby stated that he has requested military and police personnel be prepared to assist with distribution, either as drivers or to provide security for the transport fleet if needed. ‘Starting tonight, we have asked the TNI and Polri teams to be ready. We are just waiting for the needs to be conveyed by Pertamina, how many personnel are required to assist with distribution,’ he said.
The provincial government is ready to provide full support to prevent prolonged disruptions that could affect community activities and the economy. However, Bobby noted that matters regarding the recruitment or dismissal of drivers are an internal issue under Pertamina’s authority. ‘The matter of recruiting or dismissing drivers is their internal domain. What is most important for us is that this internal issue does not impact the people of North Sumatra,’ he stated. He also expressed regret over the lack of early information regarding the potential distribution disruption, saying that if the local government had been informed earlier, anticipatory measures could have been taken more quickly.
Bobby assured that fuel stocks remain sufficient to meet public needs and that supplies from outside the region are proceeding as usual. ‘Stocks are safe. Supplies are also still running. So the issue is not fuel availability, but distribution,’ he said. The North Sumatra Provincial Government, together with Pertamina, the TNI and Polri, is continuing to coordinate to calculate the required number of personnel so that fuel distribution to all filling stations can return to normal as soon as possible. ‘We are ready to support according to the needs conveyed by Pertamina. The important thing is that the public no longer has difficulty getting fuel.’
Head of the Industry, Trade and Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, Dedy Jaminsyah Putra Harahap, said that his office has coordinated with Pertamina Patra Niaga for the Northern Sumatra Region. The provincial government has requested that the distribution of both subsidised and non-subsidised fuel be normalised immediately so that public mobility and activities are not significantly disrupted. ‘This fuel difficulty issue has become a serious concern for Governor Bobby because it has disrupted public activities. Under his direction, we have coordinated with Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut,’ he said separately.
Based on the coordination, Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut is working to normalise fuel distribution to filling stations as soon as possible. ‘The Governor has requested that it be normalised within two days, and Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut is committed to making this happen as quickly as possible,’ Dedy said. When asked about the cause of the public’s difficulty in obtaining fuel, Dedy explained that the problem lies in the distribution from the fuel terminal to the filling stations. ‘Information from Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut is that the distribution obstacle is due to the management arrangement of fleet drivers at official vendors. That is the gist of the problem,’ he said. Regarding fuel availability in North Sumatra, Dedy confirmed that based on Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut’s statement, stocks are safe. ‘The stock is there, but the problem is transporting the fuel from the terminal to the filling stations. That is the obstacle,’ he added. Pertamina Patra Niaga Sumbagut is adding transport fleets to meet fuel demand at filling stations. Dedy emphasised that the Governor has urged Pertamina to resolve the internal issues with its vendors immediately so that the public does not become the victim.