Observers Of Fuel Scarcity At Private Gas Stations: Logistics Planning Must Be Better

Gas station officers filled up the fuel. (ANTARA-M Agung Rajasa).

JAKARTA A public policy expert at Trisakti University, Trubus Rahardiansyah, assesses that the government's move through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) in regulating the import of fuel for private enterprises (BU) is on the right track.

According to him, this policy is important to maintain national energy sovereignty and protect consumers from the risk of unstable prices.

"This is not discrimination or monopoly. It is precisely supply consolidation so that volume, quality, and financing remain under control at the national level. That way, potential price inefficiency and disparities can be avoided," Trubus said in a written statement, Thursday, September 18.

Trubus highlighted the insistence of a number of private BU owners to re-open additional import quotas. In fact, according to him, this year's fuel import quota for the private sector has been increased by 10 percent compared to 2024, and the realization has even reached 110 percent of the initial ceiling.

"If the stock runs out before the end of the year, it should be an important lesson for the industry to improve logistics planning, not just asking for additional imports," he said.

He emphasized that the government has an obligation to balance three interests at once. First, ensure consumers get fuel supplies at stable prices. Second, maintaining a healthy level of competition between Pertamina and the private sector. Third, protecting the national interest so that energy security does not depend too much on imports.

According to Trubus, the private BU market share has now reached around 11 percent and continues to grow. With this portion, the private sector can already influence the public narrative. Therefore, the provision of additional import quotas without a control mechanism has the potential to reduce the country's ability to maintain strategic reserves.

The energy sector, which is the lifeblood of the economy, should not be controlled by market forces without a clear direction. Energy policies must be long-term oriented, not reactive to market pressure. The government's consistency in this import governance is in line with the President's direction to remove discriminatory quotas, but still maintains national interests," Trubus said.

He also encouraged the government to increase the transparency of fuel supply data and strengthen public communication. Thus, the policies implemented are not perceived as protection for SOEs, but rather a strategy to maintain price stability and energy supply.

The government is not hostile to the private sector. This policy actually organizes the market to make it healthier, more transparent, and more efficient. Private involvement remains important, but must be in the corridor of strict national governance," Trubus said.

The scarcity of fuel oil (BBM) occurred at a number of private gas stations such as BP, Shell and VIVO even though the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has provided an additional 10 percent import quota this year. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said that if private gas stations want to get more quota, they can cooperate with Pertamina.

According to Minister Bahlil, collaboration between private gas stations and Pertamina is very important. The availability of fuel is a vital need for the community and must remain controlled by the state to maintain supply stability. Therefore, synergy between various parties is the key in overcoming this problem.

"If you want to ask for more, this concerns the lives of many people, these industrial branches. If you want more, please collaborate with Pertamina. Why Pertamina? Pertamina is a representation of the state. We don't want the production branches that control the lives of many people to be left to market theory. What will happen later?" said Minister Bahlil at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Wednesday, September 17.