TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Residents of Nunukan regency in North Kalimantan are facing a shortage of LPG tanks due to the tightly-enforced supply restrictions imposed by the Malaysian Police in the area.

Suratmi, a resident of West Nunukan, said Thursday she had to use kerosene in place of LPGs due to the dwindling supplies of LPG tanks from Malaysia in the area following the ban. "Ever since Nunukan residents were banned from shopping in Tawau, Malaysia, such tanks are hard to come by," she said.

Suratmi explained that LPG tanks began to disappear from markets in the area beginning from last week—if one is available, a 14-kg LPG canister costs up to Rp250,000.

If such conditions persisted, said Suratmi, then Nunukan residents might have to resort to using firewood, especially since kerosene was getting more scarce due to the dwindling amount of supply from state oil-and-gas company Pertamina.

It is widely known that local residents have had to resort to using LPG tanks from Malaysia because of the absence of supply of locally-produced LPG tanks from Java or South Sulawesi. Thus, residents are hoping that the government will take concrete steps to address the issue.

Separately, Nunukan Regent Drs. Basri said his administration had undertaken strategies to address the issue, including by shipping 12-kg LPG tanks from Java. Basri, however, stopped short of detailing when the shipments will arrive in Nunukan.

ANTARA