Pertamina normalizes supply of subsidized fuel products

State-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina said that it has ?normalized? the supply of subsidized fuel products since Tuesday evening, following growing public frustration over long queue at gas stations in many parts of the country during the past couple of days.

?In line with the direction from the government, Pertamina has normalized the supply of subsidized fuel products for the public so as to prevent long queue,? Pertamina Vice President for Corporate Communications Ali Mundakir said in a statement obtained Wednesday.

Pertamina has started tightening the supply of the subsidized fuel products since early August amid concerns that the 46 million kilo liters volume of subsidized fuel products set for this year would be exceeded due to rising consumption. The company recently took drastic measure to cut down the supply of the fuel to gasoline stations in a number of regions, causing long queue.

There have been calls for the outgoing government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to raise the price of the subsidized fuel products to help limit consumption and ease the burden of inflating fuel subsidy in the state budget. Susilo is scheduled to meet with President elect Joko Widodo today in Bali to among others discuss the fuel crisis issue.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak