Police Investigate Causes Of Long Queues For Subsidized Diesel Fuel In Padang

PHOTO VIA ANTARA/Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Police, Kombes Satake Bayu

PADANG - The West Sumatran Police investigated the cause of long queues of vehicles to get subsidized diesel fuel oil (BBM) at a number of gas stations in Padang City.

The Head of Public Relations of the West Sumatra Police, Kombes Satake Bayu, said that officers were currently on the ground to find out what was the main reason for the shortage.

According to him, information on the availability of diesel fuel is running low at several gas stations in this area and there is a long line waiting for the entry of diesel fuel from Pertamina to gas stations.

"We will immediately go to the field, what is the cause of all this. Is this a factor in the late delivery schedule to the gas station, how we will do it later by the Team from the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimsus) and we will inform you later on how it develops," he said, quoted by Antara, Friday, June 18.

Bayu said incidents like this had happened in the previous year, but not as serious as this year.

He hopes that the availability of diesel fuel at gas stations will run out due to the schedule factor, not because of hoarding by certain individuals.

According to him, the officers will take security measures to unravel the congestion caused by cars lining up at gas stations.

"West Sumatra Police have carried out control patrols and backups by the Resort Police are also checking there," added Kombes Bayu.

Meanwhile, Pjs. Unit Manager Communication, Relations & CSR Nurhidayanto said the long queues of vehicles at several gas stations in Padang City were due to a surge in purchases from before.

Nurhidayanto said the distribution of subsidized diesel fuel in West Sumatra is relatively normal with an average of 220 kiloliters per day.

“Subsidized diesel distribution is under normal conditions, an average of 220 Kiloliters (KL) per day in Padang City. Especially yesterday, the distribution of Solar has reached 230 kiloliters and the stock of diesel is still available," he said.

Nurhidayanto explained that subsidized diesel consumption is distributed according to the regulations of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas), namely four-wheeled individual motorized vehicles at a maximum of 60 liters per vehicle.

Then public motorized vehicles transporting people or four-wheeled goods fill at most 80 liters per vehicle.

Meanwhile, for public motorized vehicles transporting people or goods with six wheels, the maximum fill is 200 liters per day per vehicle.

"A total of 109 gas stations have been digitized, and input the direct recap of filling subsidized diesel fuel as determined by BPH Migas," he said.