Jakarta. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said fuel supplies across the island remained sufficient despite days of long queues at gas stations, blaming a surge in demand and distribution delays for shortages at filling stations.

“The number of residents visiting gas stations has exceeded normal levels. The rate at which fuel flows to gas stations is not keeping pace with demand,” Koster said on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, queues of motorcycles and cars remained visible at several gas stations across Bali. Some locations reportedly experienced lines for much of the day, approaching 24 hours.

The queues spilled onto nearby roads, causing congestion and disrupting traffic around affected stations.

He stressed that Bali had enough fuel to meet public needs, but distribution from depots had struggled to keep up with the sudden increase in demand.

Koster said panic buying may have worsened the situation, as residents rushed to fill their tanks amid concerns that fuel supplies were running low.

“Perhaps people are also panicking because they think there is no oil or fuel available. People need to be patient because the depots have more than enough fuel to meet demand,” he said.

The governor acknowledged that a disruption in fuel distribution had previously prevented some motorists from refueling as usual. This may have prompted more people to visit gas stations at the same time, further lengthening queues.

Koster said he expected the situation to return to normal by Wednesday and urged residents to remain calm while distribution efforts continued.

He also called on state-owned energy company Pertamina to ensure fuel allocations for Bali matched local demand and that deliveries to gas stations ran smoothly.

Pertamina had initially allocated 2.2 million liters of fuel per day to the province, Koster said, adding that future allocations should reflect actual requirements.

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