Jakarta. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry found no evidence of fuel quality degradation at several Pertamina gas stations in East Java, following public complaints that low-quality Pertalite gasoline had caused vehicle engine problems.

The findings follows widespread public complaints on social media from motorcycle users who claimed their engines sputtered or lost power after refueling with Pertalite, a government-subsidized gasoline brand sold at around Rp 10,000 ($0.63) per liter.

Bahlil conducted a surprise inspection at Pertamina’s Asrikaton gas station in Malang, East Java, on Wednesday after residents alleged that the fuel distributed there contained water or failed to meet quality standards. However, preliminary tests by the Ministry found no signs of degradation.

“Based on the samples we tested, the fuel quality meets the national standards and is safe for use,” Bahlil said in a written statement on Thursday.

He added that further checks are being conducted at other Pertamina outlets across East Java — including in Gresik, Surabaya, and Lamongan, by teams from the ministry, the Oil and Gas Testing Center (Lemigas), and the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas).

Bahlil said the government will act decisively if investigations uncover any wrongdoing, including by Pertamina, the state-owned energy giant.

“If it’s proven that there was a violation, even by Pertamina, the government will not hesitate to impose strict sanctions,” he said.

Separately, the ministry’s Director General for Oil and Gas, Laode Sulaeman, said that fuel quality tests conducted in Gresik and Surabaya showed no contamination.

“We performed water-paste and visual inspections at two gas stations, and the results showed no traces of water in the fuel,” Laode said.

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