DAWAM Mimbar, a city bus operator in Kediri, East Java, was forced to take three of his buses off the road after petrol stations in the city ran out of premium-grade gasoline supplies. On Thursday a fortnight ago, many other bus operators like Dawam also found themselves in the same situation. Premium gasoline shortages not only hit public transports but also private cars which took advantage of the cheaper subsidized fuels.

Subsidized gasoline