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Bali Fuel Lines: Hours-Long Queues Spark Protest
18 Oct
Summary
- Gas stations in Denpasar saw queues stretching over a kilometer.
- Around 500 people protested outside the governor's office.
- Distribution delays blamed on a tanker's cargo discharge issues.
Protests erupted on Indonesia's resort island of Bali as hundreds demonstrated against a significant petrol shortage on Thursday. Long queues, some exceeding a kilometer in length, formed at numerous gas stations in the provincial capital of Denpasar.
Authorities have attributed the fuel scarcity to distribution disruptions, specifically citing issues with a tanker that experienced delays in discharging its cargo. The tanker, carrying over 22 million liters of fuel, had arrived earlier in the week, with supplies expected to cover the island's demand for up to seven days.
Demonstrators expressed frustration with the prolonged waits, with some reporting standing in line for four to eight hours. In response to the ongoing situation, the governor mandated government employees to work from home for three days and shifted schools to online learning.
This incident occurs as Indonesia has been contending with broader fuel shortages, exacerbated by global energy supply disruptions linked to the Iran war. Measures like limiting fuel purchases and encouraging energy conservation through remote work policies were previously implemented.
