Lampung Regional Police Audit Petrol Stations Regarding Subsidised Fuel Queues
Bandarlampung (ANTARA) - The Lampung Regional Police (Polda Lampung) are conducting a census of all petrol stations (SPBU) within the region to determine the cause of vehicle queues resulting from high demand for subsidised biosolar diesel.
“Starting yesterday, we have been recording all petrol stations across the Lampung region, noting the station name, owner, and daily quota,” said the Director of Criminal Investigation (Dirkrimsus) of Lampung Regional Police, Kombes Pol Hery Rusyaman, in Bandarlampung on Wednesday.
He stated that this data will later be cross-referenced with data from Pertamina Patra Niaga and BPH Migas (Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency) to ensure that the allocated subsidised fuel quotas align with actual field conditions.
“This step is necessary to determine whether the long queues are occurring due to an increase in the need for subsidised fuel or if there are other issues within the distribution process,” he said.
Lampung, he noted, is a major transit route for vehicles from various regions, meaning vehicles from outside the province also have the potential to refuel with subsidised fuel at local stations.
“If the quotas are sufficient for the area, yet queues still persist, this is what we must investigate. In addition to distribution issues, we are also highlighting the significant price difference between subsidised and non-subsidised fuel, which may be driving increased biosolar consumption,” he added.
He also mentioned that the police will evaluate the vehicle barcode system used for purchasing subsidised fuel. This is intended to prevent misuse, including the use of duplicate barcodes or repeated subsidised fuel refills, which could serve as a method for misappropriation.
“We will also check the alignment of each petrol station’s quota with its number of consumers. For example, if a station receives a quota of eight tonnes of biosolar per day, we will verify whether that quota is truly absorbed by consumers or if fuel is being diverted for resale,” he said.
According to him, stations with a higher volume of customers may require larger quotas compared to stations in low-consumption areas.
“We must ensure that stations with high demand are not stuck with an eight-tonne limit, while remote stations with fewer customers receive the same quota. We cannot allow this to create opportunities for criminal activity,” he said.
To ensure oversight, the Lampung Regional Police will coordinate with Pertamina Patra Niaga, BPH Migas, petrol station associations, and other relevant agencies.
“We will also take action against any parties proven to be misappropriating subsidised fuel. If a petrol station violates regulations, we will pursue criminal charges against the individuals involved and revoke the station’s permit. Similarly, members of the public proven to be misusing subsidised fuel will be processed in accordance with the Oil and Gas Law,” he concluded.