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View all search resultsProtests erupt in North Sumatra amid subsidized fuel shortage
In North Sumatra’s capital Medan, hundreds of ojol (online motorcycle transportation) drivers protested outside Pertamina's office on Thursday, demanding a solution to fuel shortages that have led to long queues at gas stations across the city.
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Subsidy addicts: Motorists line up for subsidized RON-90 Pertalite fuel at a gas station in Bogor city, West Java on Aug. 9. The government has begun discussions on whether to increase the price of Pertalite soon. (Antara/Arif Firmansyah)
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undreds of people have staged protests across North Sumatra in recent days, demanding government action to address fuel shortages in the province following a recent fuel price hike by state-owned energy company Pertamina.
In Serdang Bedagai regency, dozens of housewives gathered outside a local gas station on Wednesday to protest persistent shortages of subsidized fuel pertalite and biodiesel, which they said have affected the area for the past month.
One protester, Nurhayati Simamarta, said residents suspected that fuel allocated for Serdang Bedagai was being diverted and sold to other regions.
"Residents have repeatedly spotted vehicles from out of town allegedly collecting large quantities of fuel from the station," she said. "The result has been chronic fuel shortages, forcing many residents to queue for hours or go without fuel altogether."
Another protester, Rubiatun, called on local authorities and Pertamina to take immediate steps to address the shortage, warning that residents would stage larger demonstrations if the situation persisted.
"We demand that supplies of Pertalite and biodiesel be restored to normal levels in our area," she said. "If the shortages persist, we will return to the streets with an even larger number of protesters."
Read also: Fuel price hike puts further strain on workers, economy
