Students protest kerosene shortage

JAYAPURA, Papua: About 50 students in Jayapura protested on Tuesday outside state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, demanding the firm put an end to a kerosene shortage that has plagued the province for the past month.

The students also called for the company to explain to the public the reasons for the shortage.

John Awi, the coordinator of the protest, said the shortage had led the price of kerosene to soar to almost 10 times the normal price, with the fuel selling at up to Rp 10,000 a liter in some places. -- JP