JAKARTA: After fuel shortages disrupted several areas in Riau last week, the impact has since spread to Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan and Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, where long lines have formed at gas stations as motorists scramble to secure fuel.
In Palangkaraya, several gas stations operated by state-owned energy company Pertamina have run out of non-subsidiSed RON 92 fuel, known as Pertamax, while others have seen lines of vehicles stretching onto main roads.
Motorists report waiting up to an hour to refuel, with some leaving empty-handed despite prolonged lines.
To address the ongoing shortages, Palangkaraya Mayor Fairid Naparin issued a circular on Tuesday (May 5) introducing daily purchase limits on fuel at all gas stations across the
Under the policy, private cars are allowed to buy up to Rp 200,000 of subsidized Pertalite per day, equivalent to around 20 litres, and up to Rp 400,000 of Pertamax, or approximately 32.5 litres.
Motorcycles are limited to Rp 50,000 of Pertalite daily, or about 5 litres, and Rp 100,000 of Pertamax, equivalent to roughly 8 litres.
“This measure is aimed at ensuring that fuel distribution remains equitable across Palangka Raya,” Fairid said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
In the circular, Fairid also instructed fuel station operators to refuse service to vehicles with modified or enlarged fuel tanks, as well as those attempting repeated refuelling. He further imposed a blanket ban on fuel purchases using jerrycans or drums intended for resale, with exceptions only for the agriculture and fisheries sectors, and only when supported by official recommendation letters.
The mayor also barred government vehicles from using subsidised fuels such as Pertalite and biosolar.
“The regulation is exempted for public service vehicles such as ambulances, hearses and municipal waste transport vehicles,” he said.
In Balikpapan, hundreds of truck drivers and students staged a protest outside the city’s Legislative Council (DPRD) on Monday, expressing frustration over recent shortages of subsidised diesel fuel.
Truck drivers’ representative Mahyudin said many drivers have been forced to line up for up to three days to refuel, with only two of the city’s 19 fuel stations reportedly supplying subsidised diesel.
“We are demanding more fuel stations offering subsidised diesel to ease congestion. We also urge that stations dispensing subsidised diesel operate 24 hours, or at least until 10pm, not just until 5pm as is currently the case,” Mahyudin said.
The fuel shortages in Palangkaraya and Balikpapan follow a similar disruption in Riau, where supply constraints have been recorded across multiple areas since last week.
In Riau, long queues of motorcycles, trucks and private vehicles have formed at nearly all fuel stations, often spilling onto main roads and causing significant traffic congestion. Small roadside fuel kiosks have also been overwhelmed by surging demand, with some forced to close after fully depleting their fuel stocks.
The fuel disruption across multiple regions comes as state-owned energy company Pertamina raised prices for several non-subsidised fuel products earlier this week, amid surging global oil prices driven by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Despite reports of fuel shortages across several provinces, Pertamina has insisted that national fuel supplies remain secure. Company officials said queues at fuel stations in Riau were driven by increased public mobility during the long holiday period over the weekend, compounded by rumours of scarcity that triggered panic buying among residents.
In Palangkaraya, Pertamax stocks remained available, but distribution delays led to temporary bottlenecks at several stations. In Balikpapan, meanwhile, long queues were largely attributed to the limited number of stations selling subsidised diesel in the region, causing congestion and bottlenecks at the few outlets that supply it.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia also said last week that Indonesia’s national fuel stocks remain secure, despite continued disruptions in global oil markets stemming from conflicts in the Middle East.
“Thankfully, after nearly two months since the conflict broke out in the Middle East, our fuel supply remains stable. All fuel products are above the national minimum standard,” he said on April 27, as quoted by Detik.com.
Bahlil also said crude oil stocks for domestic refinery operations are in a safe condition. “Regarding crude oil for refinery development, thank God the stock is also above the national minimum standard. So overall, there are no issues,” he added. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
