RI urges swift action on diesel access for fishermen

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming met with fishermen at the Tegalkatilayu Fish Auction Port (TPI) in Cilacap, Central Java, on Monday to hear their concerns and ensure that problems faced by fishermen, including access to subsidized diesel fuel, are addressed promptly.

On the occasion, he received input from fishermen regarding access to diesel fuel, the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) based on used cooking oil, village services, social assistance, access to clean water, and equal access to public services.

"Diesel fuel is essential for fishermen. It is the government's obligation to ensure the availability," Gibran stated.

To address the issue, Gibran asked Vice Presidential Special Staff Tina Talisa to oversee the subsidized diesel distribution in Cilacap to ensure that supplies meet fishermen’s needs and reach eligible recipients.

Vice President also highlighted administrative obstacles faced by fishermen in obtaining recommendation letters to purchase subsidized diesel fuel.

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Fishermen with vessels below 30 gross tonnage (GT) who have not yet obtained the required letters were urged to contact their local Marine Affairs and Fisheries Agency (DKP).

He also called for data on affected fishermen to be compiled to facilitate prompt follow-up.

During the dialogue, fishermen also directly expressed their concerns regarding diesel fuel availability.

One of the fishermen, Agustin, applauded the policy of providing diesel fuel specifically for fishing vessels measuring 31–200 GT, saying that it helped them continue their fishing activities.

Meanwhile, another fisherman, Temu, said limited supplies of subsidized diesel fuel remained a challenge for vessels measuring 30 GT or less. He hoped the issue would be resolved promptly to help fishermen operate more smoothly.

In response, the vice president stressed the need to identify the specific obstacles faced by fishermen to determine solutions quickly.

He said his visit to Cilacap was an opportunity to hear directly from the community and help resolve their concerns.

"We will check the required aspects, and we will resolve the problems faced by fishermen," Gibran said.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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