Makassar sees no kerosene

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Kerosene has been missing from the market in the past couple of weeks here, stirring anxiety among thousands of the city's residents.

"I have not sold kerosene over the past week as the agent of (state oil company) Pertamina stopped operating," Fataruddin, 42, a kerosene seller, said on Thursday.

Some traders suspected that the oil agent tried to stockpile the kerosene from the market to allow the company to control the price. The fuel is normally sold for Rp 400 per liter.

"They expect to see the price going up, while consumers have no other choice but to buy as kerosene as it is one of their daily necessities," Fataruddin said.

A local logistics and distribution official, Winarto, denied the allegation that Pertamina was hoarding kerosene.

"After hearing the public complaints, we have supplied over 600,000 liters of kerosene per day since Wednesday," he said. (27/edt)