Bali Governor Koster Denies Berating Attendant During Fuel Shortage

Denpasar — Bali Governor Wayan Koster denied on Oct. 30 that he had berated a petrol-station attendant during a fuel shortage, telling the Bali Regional Parliament that a circulated video had been edited and did not show the full incident.

The explanation came during a plenary meeting at the Bali Regional Parliament office. Koster said he had gone to a petrol station that was closed while motorists were waiting in a long line, and that his purpose was to check whether public fuel services were ready amid supply problems, not to reprimand an attendant.

Why the account matters to people in Bali

For foreign residents and visitors, the dispute unfolded during a wider disruption that left motorists queueing at petrol stations in Bali. The episode also illustrates why short video clips can give an incomplete account of official inspections and public-service operations. Koster said the recording did not include the context of his visit or his stated concern about service availability.

The fuel shortage affected distribution to stations even though officials said supplies were available at the main depots in Manggis and Sanggaran. A separate report said the governor expected fuel distribution in Bali to return to normal within one to two days. The shortage therefore involved both supply movement and heavy demand, rather than a reported closure of fuel services across the island.

Koster’s statement before lawmakers served as his clarification of the incident. He said he found the station closed while people continued waiting for fuel and maintained that he had been checking service readiness. The reports do not state that the parliament imposed a penalty or announced a separate procedure following his explanation.

Sources

• Bali Post — regional news organisation
• bali.tribunnews.com
• suara.com