In May 2013, kerosene retailers in Ambon, Indonesia, were closed or limiting purchases when supplies arrived. A resident named Aleta brought two five-litre cans and joined a long queue from the morning at the Yeniman depot in Amahusu; when interviewed, only four customers remained before her turn. Another resident said long waits were unavoidable because many households needed the fuel.
The containers made the ration visible: two cans meant ten litres. Residents searched closed outlets and moved when word of a delivery spread. Securing that modest volume determined whether ordinary cooking could continue.