Kendari (Antaranews Sultra) - PT Pertamina (Persero), the state-owned oil and gas company, imposed sanctions on several errant Public Refueling Stations (SPBU) proven to have committed violations, especially in the area of Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi.

Southeast Sulawesi Sales Executive IV of PT Pertamina (Persero) Dimas Mulyo Widyo Saputro noted via a WhatsApp message in Kendari on Friday that the long queues at several gas stations in Kendari City were reportedly due to such fraud taking place at SPBUs.

He cited the example that if he filled eight HL of diesel fuel, three hours later it was used up, and it turned out that it was not properly and correctly distributed.

Saputro remarked that his side had often found several cars whose tanks were modified, such as panther cars, whose tank capacity only ranged between 50 and 60 liters but turned out to fill up to 250 liters or more.

"The SPBU proven to have violated the regulations would be immediately sanctioned," he stated.

Furthermore, he remarked that the quota of the sanctioned SPBU would be immediately allocated to a gas station with good performance.

Gas stations with good performance usually receive 16 HL, but we add 8 HL, so that it can get 24 HL, he stressed.

"This incident is not only found in Kendari City but also at the district level, such as in the Konawe Selatan District, for instance, in the Ranomeeto and Angata gas stations," he noted.

He further emphasized that for gas stations subject to sanctions but still continuing to conduct violations, such as the Saranani gas station, a decision was taken to not sell Solar subsidies.

"The Rabam gas station has been imposed one sanction of not being allowed to sell diesel subsidies for 30 days, from Sept 1 to Sept 30," he stated.

"The same sanction was imposed on the gas station in Anduonuhu only once, so gas stations in the area are not supplied by diesel subsidies for a month," he concluded.

Dimas asserted that sanctions against the gas station will be applicable on other gas stations that are still under monitoring by Pertamina.

Reporting by Abdul Azis Senong

Editing by Eliswan