Pertamax Price Hike Causes Pertalite Queues to Snake at Sungailiat Petrol Stations
The increase in the price of non-subsidised Pertamax fuel has triggered a surge in demand for Pertalite at several petrol stations in Sungailiat, Bangka Regency. Consequently, queues of both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles have grown increasingly long, stretching onto the main roads.
Observations at the Parit Padang petrol station on Sunday (14/06) showed vehicle queues reaching hundreds of metres. Drivers are forced to wait between 30 minutes to an hour to obtain the subsidised fuel.
Lukman, a car driver, admitted he was forced to switch from Pertamax to Pertalite because the price of Pertamax is now considered too high. “Initially, Pertamax was around Rp12,000 per litre, but now it has reached over Rp16,000 per litre. I can no longer afford it, so I have no choice but to switch to Pertalite, which is priced at Rp10,000 per litre,” said Lukman.
He noted that the migration of Pertamax users to Pertalite has worsened the queues at petrol stations. Despite the long wait, he continues to queue to secure more affordable fuel.
Lukman also highlighted the prevalence of repeated Pertalite purchases by certain individuals, which he believes is lengthening the queues. He called on the police and Pertamina to take firm action. “We request that the police and Pertamina take strict action against these resellers, as they queue repeatedly at various petrol stations for their own profit,” he said.
Similar complaints were voiced by another driver, Iwan. He noted that the activities of these resellers are becoming increasingly concerning, as they use motorcycles to purchase Pertalite repeatedly before transferring the fuel into jerry cans for resale. “They buy it, siphon it into jerry cans, and then queue again in a continuous cycle,” said Iwan.
He believes this practice exploits the significant price gap between the Pertalite price at petrol stations and the retail price, which can reach approximately Rp13,000 per litre. “This provides an opportunity for resellers to seek profit. We hope the police and Pertamina take decisive action and do not allow this practice to continue,” Iwan added.
The increasing queues for Pertalite in Sungailiat demonstrate a shift in public consumption from non-subsidised to subsidised fuel following the Pertamax price hike. Residents are calling for stricter supervision of Pertalite distribution to ensure supply remains available to eligible citizens and to reduce congestion at petrol stations.