Over the past month, a kerosene shortage has hit Lombok Island including the West Nusa Tenggara capital, Mataram, forcing residents to queue for kerosene rations at local distribution posts.
Near Gunungsari market in West Lombok, people were seen queuing since early in Tuesday morning, some since Monday evening, to get their maximum five-liter allowance.
"Here, they distribute the kerosene on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I have been waiting since yesterday. The fuel is cheaper here, at Rp 3,000 (25 US cents) per liter. Elsewhere it's Rp 4,500," resident Nursiah told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Separately, Ariwibowo, a staff member of state oil company PT Pertamina at the Mataram office, denied there was problem with the kerosene supply, saying there were unbalanced demands in Lombok Island.
"We currently only distribute kerosene to posts in West Lombok, because there are higher demands in East and Central Lombok. There are higher demands there because it is tobacco harvesting time," he said.
Pertamina distributes 115,000 tons of kerosene through Mataram and West Lombok, while the total supply for the province is 400,000 tons. (dre)
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