State-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina's subsidiary, PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, has announced its approval of the Bengkulu administration's request for an additional supply of 124 thousand subsidized 3-kilogram gas canisters.
The company has been striving to ensure the availability of subsidized gas canisters in Bengkulu, said Tjahyo Nikho Indrawan, spokesperson for PT Pertamina Patra Niaga's Southern Sumatra Office, on Wednesday.
Additionally, Pertamina has continued to make utmost efforts to ensure the distribution of subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) canisters to eligible households, he added.
To this end, Pertamina has been closely monitoring the distribution by working with regional governments, he said, reassuring local residents that they will not have any problems getting LPG canisters.
The additional supply that the company has approved could ensure the availability of stocks at local depots in Bengkulu to meet the needs of eligible households, he said.
Last Friday, PT Pertamina Patra Niaga confirmed that it has provided an additional stock of up to 700 thousand 3-kg gas canisters to meet increased demand in several regions.
The regions that have received the additional stocks include North Sumatra, Bangka Belitung Islands, Bengkulu, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and all provinces in Sulawesi Island.
According to Pertamina Patra Niaga's corporate secretary, Irto Ginting, the company recorded a 2-percent increase in the consumption of subsidized gas cylinders in July compared to the previous month.
The increased consumption that exceeded the company's quota occurred following several religious festivities and long holidays, he said, and Pertamina responded promptly to address the situation.
"First, we coordinate with local governments in regions that potentially need additional stocks. By doing so, we can meet their demands, accelerate distribution, or conduct market operations," he stated.
Second, the company has continued to work closely with the police to anticipate the misuse of subsidized LPG canisters, Ginting added.
"We do appreciate the police's crackdowns on perpetrators in Karawang (West Java) and Padang (West Sumatra)," he said.
Editor : Musriadi
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