Pertamina blames driver fraud for long fuel queues in North Sumatra

Wakil Direktur Utama PT Pertamina (Persero) Oki Muraza has explained that the long queues for fuel purchases in North Sumatra were caused by fraud committed by tanker drivers. “In North Sumatra, the obstacle was indeed reports of fraud. Fraud by the drivers,” Oki said after attending the opening of the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit & Exhibition 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday. Following the incident, Oki stated that Pertamina had issued warnings and taken firm action against the perpetrators of the fraud. However, he denied that Pertamina had carried out mass terminations of employment related to the fraud by the fuel tanker drivers. “There were no mass layoffs there. Only punishment for drivers who did not comply with the regulations,” Oki said. He added that Pertamina has now secured support from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and fuel distribution is running more smoothly. Also present on the occasion, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia stated that Indonesia’s fuel reserves are above the national minimum standard. He said the problem of long fuel queues in North Sumatra was caused by drivers and is entirely the authority of Pertamina Patra Niaga. “Regarding our fuel needs, our reserves are above the national minimum standard. It is safe. The problem yesterday was the drivers, but that is Pertamina’s affair,” Bahlil said. PT Pertamina Patra Niaga is accelerating the normalisation of fuel distribution in North Sumatra by operating terminals and petrol stations for 24 hours. A number of petrol stations in the affected areas of Medan, North Sumatra, are also being operated around the clock so that the public can obtain fuel more easily. The reinforcement of tanker crews by Elnusa Petrofin as a transport partner is also being carried out through cooperation with the Army Transport Corps to support smooth distribution operations. Pertamina Patra Niaga is committed to maintaining the reliability of fuel distribution by ensuring all operational processes run according to established standards.