W

aste-management company PT Godang Tua Jaya, which manages the 110-hectare Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, has denied an allegation from the police that it is hoarding thousands of liters of subsidized fuel at its compound.

The company’s director Douglas Manurung said that the company had a stockpile of thousands of liters of fuel, but that it had no intention of selling the fuel to businesses below market price.

“We need a lot of diesel fuel at the ready because we operate dozens of heavy machines around the clock each day,” Douglas said in a press statement.

The Jakarta Police confiscated more than 5,120 liters of subsidized diesel fuel contained in 256 jerry cans, as well as a truck used by the company as evidence. An employee of the company was arrested as a suspect.

Douglas said that the company operated a total of 43 heavy machines, including loaders, excavators and bulldozers, every day.

“Every day, we need a total of 10,320 liters of diesel fuel to operate,” he said.

The landfill site manages more than 5,000 tons of garbage produced by the capital each day. Jakarta, which produces more than 6,000 tons of garbage per day, has signed an agreement to rent the landfill from the Bekasi administration for the next 17 years.

Separately, City Sanitation Agency chief Eko Bharuna advised the company to coordinate with state oil and gas company PT Pertamina to prevent further misunderstandings in the future.

“The company should request for a special supply of fuel for their machines and follow existing regulations so as not to disturb waste management activity,” Eko said.

The alleged hoarding in Bantar Gebang was one of a number of cases the police are investigating.

Fuel hoarding is on the rise ahead of the planned increase of fuel prices starting April 1. It is a crime that is punishable by to four years’ imprisonment and up to Rp 40 million (US$4,360) in fines as stipulated in the 2001 Oil and Gas Law.

—JP/ Andreas D. Arditya