Since around October 11, 2026, a fuel shortage has stretched queues at many gas stations across Bali, including in Tabanan. Drivers waited for hours, some under a blazing sun, just to put a few liters in their tanks. Into those lines stepped COCO Social Fund and Kimnara Space with free drinks for fuel queues, a sign that people weren’t waiting alone.
Local reports put the queue at the Sanggulan gas station in Kediri at roughly one kilometer on October 15. Elsewhere, drivers were reported waiting more than an hour before being served. At several stations, Pertalite and Pertamax had run out.
For people who rely on a motorbike to get to work, take children to school, or sell goods, a queue that long eats time normally spent on something else.
Free Drinks for Fuel Queues From CSF and Kimnara Space
COCO Social Fund and Kimnara Space, the café and community space in Cepaka Village, Kediri, handed out drinks free of charge to drivers waiting in fuel queues.
Free drinks don’t shorten the line. What they can do is smaller: ease thirst during the wait, and let people in line know their struggle is seen.
COCO Social Fund and Kimnara Space weren’t alone. Tabanan’s regional legislature handed out bottled water on October 14, the Tabanan police gave out vitamins and water, the regency government put medical staff and refreshments on standby, and a number of local businesses handed out drinks and snacks at gas stations.
These small efforts came from residents, local businesses, and officials all at once, each in their own way.
From Direct Aid to the Fuel Line
This care fits what COCO Social Fund has been doing all along. From Cepaka Village to Kaba-Kaba, the foundation has reached residents several times through aid delivered in person, including door-to-door aid. Handing out drinks in a fuel queue takes a different form, but the spirit is the same: showing up when residents need it.
For any company weighing a CSR program in Bali, this is an example of responsive CSR: spotting a need that appears right in front of you, then putting existing resources to work. For other social foundations in Bali, the pattern is easy to apply: notice a disruption hitting nearby residents, then ask what help is possible that same day.
Closing Thoughts: After the Queues Eased
As of October 18, police reported queues in the Tabanan police jurisdiction were back to normal. If supply disruptions return, queues could form again.
If you want to help people waiting in line near you, three things are worth considering. Coordinate with gas station staff or police first so the handout doesn’t block traffic. Pick drinks that are easy and safe to hand out, such as bottled water. And set up a container for empty bottles, so the day’s kindness doesn’t end up as litter along the road.
