Queues for Subsidised Diesel Vehicles Still Haunt Jambi Petrol Stations

Despite already being in the spotlight of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas), queues of vehicles siphoning subsidised fuel, particularly diesel, still haunt most public petrol stations (SPBU) in various areas of Jambi Province. The scene, which residents complain about daily, was still visible on Thursday (16/7) in areas such as Pal 7, Kotabaru District, and at a petrol station in the Palmerah laundry area of Jambi City. Various vehicles, including minibuses and old trucks running on diesel, were seen in the queues hunting for subsidised diesel. Responding to public complaints and indications of irregularities in the distribution of subsidised diesel found by BPH Migas, Commission II of the Jambi City Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) discussed the public unrest on Tuesday (14/7) by summoning 25 SPBU operators within the Jambi City area. According to Commission II member Abdullah Thaif, the situation is severely disrupting public safety and traffic order because the queues of vehicles hunting for subsidised fuel, especially biodiesel, spill over onto road shoulders and carriageways. Unfortunately, when invited to the hearing at the Jambi City DPRD office, only representatives from 15 of the 25 contacted SPBU owners attended, while 10 SPBU operators were defiant and did not show up. In response, Commission II of the Jambi City DPRD proposed to the competent authorities, in this case Pertamina Patra Niaga for the Jambi Region, to impose sanctions on the absent SPBU operators in the form of a temporary suspension of subsidised biodiesel distribution. A representative from Pertamina Patra Niaga who was present at the meeting stated that they would first coordinate regarding the proposal to stop the supply of subsidised diesel to the problematic SPBUs.