Pertamina introduces new premium gasoline in Balikpapan

The people in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, has been puzzled with a new premium gasoline product that is different in color and smell, raising speculation that the state oil and gas firm Pertamina had been mixing the fuel product with cheaper product to gain greater profit, the local Kaltim Post daily.

Some people also feared that the lower quality premium gasoline would cause problem to their cars.

Gas stations officials said that Pertamina had introduced the different type of premium gasoline since last week, and some suspected that the new product was imported from Singapore.

But Pertamina Balikpapan office spokesman Mohammad Junus confirmed the different type of premium gasoline. He said that Pertamina had used a different composition, but he said that the new product would not cause problem to people's cars.

He pointed out that the new kind of product had been launched since the past week and so far there had been no complaints of car break down because of the new premium gasoline. (*)