Diesel Runs Out Quickly, Vehicle Queues at Polman Gas Stations Persist

POLMAN, KOMPAS.com - Vehicle queues to get diesel fuel are still occurring at several gas stations in Polewali Mandar (Polman) Regency, West Sulawesi.

The lengthy lines force some drivers to wait for hours, often into the night.

In fact, some trucks are frequently seen lingering around the gas stations, waiting their turn to fill up diesel.

One of the long queues was observed at the Wonomulyo District gas station in Polman. From Kompas.com's observation on Saturday (19/9/2026), vehicles lined up along the left shoulder of the Trans-Sulawesi road.

The queue stretched around 200 meters, dominated by trucks. This situation briefly impacted traffic flow near the gas station.

Similar conditions were seen at the Campalagian District gas station, where four-wheeled vehicles lined up, spilling onto the roadside shoulder.

"Almost every day there are queues," said Sudarman, a local resident, to Kompas.com.

Diesel Stocks Depleting Quickly

According to him, the long lines are due to diesel stocks running out rapidly, while demand remains high.

Amir, Chair of Commission II of the Polman Regional House of Representatives, revealed that diesel stocks at each gas station run out fast because the quota is only 8,000 liters per station.

Meanwhile, diesel demand in Polman is very high. Diesel is not only used by transport vehicles but also needed by fishermen and farmers to support their daily activities.

"It should be 16,000 liters, because it’s not just for vehicles; farmers, fishermen, and MSMEs also need it," he explained.

Besides limited stock, Amir added, many vehicles from outside the area also fill up diesel here, causing stocks to run out quickly.

Task Force Formation Needed

Given this situation, the Nasdem Party politician urged the Polman government to propose to Pertamina to increase the diesel quota and supply to meet community needs.

"The information is that it will be increased, but latest updates from gas stations show no increase yet and the quota remains the same," he said.

Regarding the queues often extending onto the road, Amir suspects the same vehicles line up daily to get diesel.

"But that is not confirmed yet. That’s why we hope a task force is quickly formed to conduct strict monitoring on the ground," he urged.