"In the next two or three days, I will sign a letter containing my recommendation and immediately send it to the central government and Pertamina (state-owned oil/gas company)," he said here on Wednesday.
He said he had decided to write the letter because he saw how difficult it was to get regular premium and diesel fuels in the region.
"Hopefully with the operation of foreign-owned gas stations no long queues of motorbikes and cars will be seen again at gas stations," he said.
Cornelis said with the entry of foreign-owned gas station like that of Petronas (Malaysia) at least consumers would have choices when shortage of supply occurs at Pertamina`s gas stations so that their need would be fulfilled.
"Unlike now when distribution problems occur at Pertamina dire shortage immediately spreads across the province," he said.
He said the operation of the foreign-owned gas station would at least help meet fuel needs in the province that borders with Malaysia. He said fule shortage had also made the price to soar very high.
"In Jakarta a lot of gas stations are operated by foreign companies such as Petronas and Shell. So why we would not open an opportunity the company from the neighboring country to operate here," he said.
Pertamina West Kalimantan area sales manager Ibny Chouldum earlier said he admitted that there had been queues in a number of Pertamina`s filling stations which are mostly of cars using diesel fuel.
"It seems demand has been on the rise. Early in the year was still normal while supply remains according to quota," he said.
Ibnu Chouldum said the increasing demand for fuels showed that economy in the region had grown although the quota had been very high.
He said the difference in the price of subsidized diesel fuel which is at Rp4,500 per liter while the price of non-subsidized at Rp9,000 per liter could open an opportunity for irregularities to happen.
He said distribution of subsidized gasoline to the region from January to March 2011 had increased by two percent while diease by around one percent from the quote.
"The annual quota for premium is 409,000 kilo liters while for diesel fuel is 254,000 kilo liters," Ibnu said. (*)
A057/H-YH/HAJM/A014
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
