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his comment is a response to an article titled '€œLong queues form as fuel shortage threatens'€, (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 26).

 Automotive diesel oil, locally known as solar, is only sold in its subsidized form and many fuel stations do not even have it in the first place. We are not talking just about Jakarta, but in many rural places throughout Indonesia.

 Just look at what those limitations achieved. In truth, nothing, because people began to panic-buy: Folks who usually filled up their vehicles with a banknote exchange rather than using liters (e.g. premium for Rp 50,000 (US$4.4) are now filling their tanks to the brim '€œjust in case'€.

 Farmers were unable to run their machinery, fishermen were unable to get to work '€” ridiculous conditions that just hurt the economy. Only a monopoly company can afford to do that.

 The consumption of subsidized fuel needs to be urgently reduced. It should also be done in the coming years, but not with half-baked policies on how to do it (for example, not considering the social and economic impact it has). So I think private cars should be prohibited from buying premium fuel and non-subsidized diesel should be introduced, for which the same rules should apply.

Subsidized fuel should be colored. They do that in Europe to distinguish heating oil from diesel. Although it is basically the same, people found with colored fuel in their cars can be heavily fined. People who can afford a private car should also be able to afford the fuel needed to run them.

Max HR
Jakarta