On 3 February 2026, a long queue formed for kerosene at a retailer in Teminabuan, South Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua, Indonesia. Resident Yohanis Thesia said the shortage had continued since the previous December and that some people obtained fuel after waiting while others did not. The line included households and food-stall operators who needed kerosene for cooking.
Kerosene remained an everyday cooking fuel in the area. Some households began mornings unable to light their stoves, while subsidised supply was constrained by national quotas. Seasonal demand around Christmas and New Year collided with limited distribution, making arrival order consequential for both meals and livelihoods.
There was no guaranteed product at the end of this queue. Waiting in the proper order and carrying fuel home were separate outcomes; scarcity returned with unsuccessful customers as an empty container.