Poor distribution could be the cause of the ongoing scarcity of 3-kilogram subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the domestic market. No wonder, a number of people are complaining difficult to get the LPG. In addition to rare, its price also rose to Rp 500 per tube.

The 3-kilogram LPG has been hard to come by and the price is also rising. Thus we had to raise the LPG price

Based on beritajakarta.com observations, on Wednesday (6/4), hundreds of retailers are seen lined up to get the LPG at a LPG station on Jalan H Abdur Rahman, Cipinang Muara, Jatinegara, East Jakarta. But they cannot get the gas maximally, even though they already lining up for 4 hours. The reason is the agent has limited the gas because of gas distribution from PT Pertamina declined.

The agent raised the 3-kilogram LPG's price from Rp 14,000 to Rp 14,500 per tube. Due to this condition, the retailer also raised the gas prices to consumers around Rp 16,500-Rp 17,000 per tube from initial price reached Rp 15,500-Rp 16,000 per tube.

Based on the information gathered every LPG station only gets a ration about 1,120 tubes. Previously they got 1,680 tubes.

Lukman Hakim, (45), a retailer admitted he got LPG at 2 PM after he lined up at 11 AM. "The 3-kilogram LPG has been hard to come by and the price is also rising. Thus we had to raise the LPG price," he expressed.

He assessed that the poor distribution of LPG has declined his income. Even, every retailer can only get six LPGs where they previously got 10-15 tubes

Tukimin, (50), other retailers hoped the government can re-stabilize the gas supply in order to overcome the scarcity of LPG gas in the capital.

"Hopefully, the scarcity of LPG gas can be resolved soon, because it has an impact on lower-income people. If we have to line up to get gas every day, this is tantamount to waste our time," he exclaimed.