A brief misunderstanding between a German tourist and a fuel attendant in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi, went viral on social media in early November 2025.
The incident took place on Saturday, 1 November 2025, around 10:00 a.m. WITA, at a petrol station in Labuaja Village, Kahu District. The foreigner, identified as Seifert Rudolf, arrived in a Mercedes Unimog to refuel with diesel. He was accompanied by his wife, Marianne Seifert.
Rudolf reportedly requested 200 litres of diesel, but the attendant allowed only 45 litres, citing the lack of a MyPertamina barcode, which is required for diesel transactions. Unable to communicate clearly, the two sides struggled to understand each other.
“The German foreigner and his wife were driving a Mercedes Unimog to fill up with diesel fuel,” said Kahu Police Chief, First Inspector Andi Muhammad Amir, to detikSulsel on Sunday (2 November 2025).
Amir added that the situation became tense when Rudolf insisted on filling the tank to the full. “I could only fill up Rp 400,000, and the foreigner got out angrily,” he said.
Witnesses described Rudolf stepping out of the vehicle and speaking loudly in English, claiming he had money and simply wanted to pay in cash.
“The foreigner wanted to fill his vehicle to a full tank, but the gas station attendant refused, claiming he didn’t have a barcode,” Amir explained.
Residents nearby helped calm the situation before it escalated further. Amir confirmed that there was no violence or damage, only a heated exchange caused by a language barrier.
“The gas station attendant and the foreigner didn’t understand each other. This was simply a misunderstanding,” he said.
After the brief argument, Rudolf and his wife left the scene and continued their journey towards Makassar.
@detikcom Seorang warga negara asing (WNA) asal Jerman mengamuk di SPBU, Kabupaten Bone, Sulawesi Selatan (Sulsel). Aksinya pun viral di media sosial. Kemarahan bule ini dipicu saat dirinya ditolak isi BBM karena tak memiliki barcode. Creator: Ori Salfian #wnangamuk #viral #detikcom #solar #spbu ♬ original sound – detik.com
Immigration Office Confirms Misunderstanding
Later that day, the couple was seen at the Makassar Class I Special Immigration Office, where they extended their visitor stay permits. According to immigration data, both hold German passports and entered Indonesia using a C1 visitor visa.
An immigration officer confirmed the viral incident and clarified that the couple had no legal issues.
“It was purely a misunderstanding due to language barriers, not a violation of any regulation,” the officer said.
During the extension process, Rudolf explained what had happened. “The incident occurred because of a misunderstanding. The gas station attendant didn’t speak a foreign language, and I’m not fluent in Indonesian,” he told officials.
He also shared that he and his wife were travelling across Indonesia by land in their Mercedes Unimog. Their trip included several provinces, and they planned to head north after Makassar to explore diving destinations in North Sulawesi.
The immigration office reminded the couple to follow local rules and maintain order during their stay. “We urge all foreign visitors to respect local regulations and avoid confrontations,” the officer said.
The case has since been closed, with both parties confirming that the disagreement was resolved peacefully.
