Indonesia still imports part of its subsidised Pertalite fuel from Singapore, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said. Queues at fuel stations have been reported in several regions.
Stocks below the standard level
Bahlil said the decline in stocks reflected fuel blending still carried out at refineries, and a shift in consumption. Consumers have moved from non-subsidised to subsidised fuel because the price gap between the two is large. Pertalite stocks are the most affected, at 16 days, he said.
He said the national position was not a shortage. “This does not mean we are short, it is still reasonably fine,” he said. Restoring stocks to 20 days would take about one week, according to the figures he gave.
Queues and supply moves
Queues at fuel stations have been reported in Bali, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. In Bali, Pertalite, Pertamax and Pertamax Turbo were reportedly sold out. Bahlil said only Pertalite stock had been affected, not the other non-subsidised fuels.
Lilik Hardiyanto, area manager for communication, relations and CSR at Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Sulawesi, said the company was working to speed up supply. Measures include tracking a ship’s voyage, readiness at the terminal and distribution to gas stations. An extra 5 million litres of Pertalite is being supplied to Manado and the surrounding area.
