Udayana Military Command Helps Pertamina Secure Fuel Distribution

Denpasar (ANTARA) – The Udayana Military Command is helping state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina secure fuel distribution in Bali following shortages and long queues of vehicles at several petrol stations.

“In principle, the Udayana Military Command supports the measures needed to maintain security and public order during fuel distribution,” said Colonel Inf. Amrizal Nasution, head of the command’s information office, in Denpasar on Thursday.

The measures are intended to maintain security and public order and prevent potential disputes within the community. Cooperation among all parties is essential to ensure the situation remains safe and stable, the command said.

The support was discussed during a meeting between Pertamina President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri and his staff, and Udayana Military Command chief Major General Piek Budyakto, at the command headquarters on Wednesday (14 October).

Pertamina requested support from military personnel to help secure fuel distribution at several petrol stations in Bali. Their presence on the ground is expected to help anticipate security and public-order disruptions, manage vehicle queues and prevent disputes among members of the public or with petrol station staff.

Piek welcomed the meeting and said the command would support efforts to ensure smooth fuel distribution. He said security assistance was expected to help create an orderly and stable situation so that services to the public could continue safely and smoothly.

After a meeting with the Bali Governor at the Pesanggaran fuel depot in Denpasar on Tuesday (13 October), Pertamina President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri said the late arrival of a fuel tanker was one factor affecting the distribution schedule.

According to Simon, the vessel encountered difficulties while anchoring, delaying its arrival beyond the planned time. This affected fuel distribution to several areas of Bali.

Simon stressed that the explanation was not intended to justify what had happened. He apologised for the fuel shortages in Bali over the past few days and emphasised the need to maximise services to the public so that fuel needs could be met and distribution return to normal.