Pertamina Suspends Rationing Of Subsidized Fuel

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina will temporarily stop the rationing of subsidized fuel in several regions across the country in an effort to maintain national security, according to the company's marketing director, Hanung Budya Yuktanta.

"The board of directors made the decision in order to help maintain law and order and prevent horizontal conflict across Indonesia," he said here on Monday.

Yuktanta noted that the rationing of subsidized fuel "led to long queues in various parts of the country, which could potentially create horizontal conflicts, like the one in Kutai Barat district in Kalimantan recently".

He expressed fear that similar incidents could happen in other regions as well. "We predicted that it could spread," Yuktanta continued.

Last week saw the implementation of the rationing program resulting in long queues of people at filling stations in various regions, such as Batam, Pangkalpinang, Bangka-Belitung and Jambi in Sumatra.

"Pertamina had ensured the availability of non-subsidized fuel across the country, but that did not help reduce the length of those long lineups, because people still wanted to buy subsidized fuel, Yuktanta explained. (*/T007)