Ambon schools in the dark after electricity cuts<\/p>\n
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon<\/p>\n
Electricity company PT PLN turned off the power to 27 schools in
\nAmbon on Tuesday over unpaid bills, leaving hundreds of students
\nin the dark.<\/p>\n
PLN employees began arriving at the schools at 9 a.m. to cut
\nthe electricity.<\/p>\n
One PLN employee, Rustam Sukur, told The Jakarta Post the
\nelectricity was only being temporarily disconnected.<\/p>\n
\"We are just sealing and cutting the electricity temporarily,\"
\nhead said.<\/p>\n
The deputy principal of SDN 12 elementary school in Tawiri,
\nMuhamad Thahir Rumluan, regretted that the company cut off the
\npower without giving the school the opportunity to pay its Rp 2.1
\nmillion (US$221) bill, which is about 54 months overdue.<\/p>\n
He said the bill was so high because for three years the
\nschool accommodated seven families who had fled the sectarian
\nviolence in the city.<\/p>\n
\"We did not collect any money from the families for the
\nelectricity they used,\" Muhamad said.<\/p>\n
The school also hosted night classes for Darussalam University
\nstudents from 2001 to 2004.<\/p>\n
Though officials at the university promised to help cover the
\nelectric bill, no money was ever forthcoming, he said.<\/p>\n
\"In the end, we the entire bill fell on us but the school does
\nnot have the budget to pay it,\" Muhamad said.<\/p>\n
He said the Ambon municipal administration provided Rp 15,000
\na month to help cover the electric bill. However, the monthly
\nbill is between Rp 25,000 and Rp 30,000.<\/p>\n
The school usually takes money from the students' tuition fees
\nto cover the electric bill.<\/p>\n
At SMKN 4 vocational school in Ambon, vice principal E.
\nTuanakotta said it was unfortunate PLN felt it had to cut the
\npower to the school, especially with exams approaching.<\/p>\n
\"This is a matter for the government because if nothing is
\ndone it will hamper the holding of the examinations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
SMKN 4 has an outstanding electric bill of a whopping Rp 214.5
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
PT PLN's assistant manager for supplies and disconnections in
\nwest Ambon, Lutfi Mual, said on Tuesday the company was unable to
\nshut off the power to all of the schools with outstanding bills
\nbecause of the distance of the schools.<\/p>\n
He added that the company had sent letters to all of the
\nschool asking for payment of their bills.<\/p>\n
\"Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will cut the power to the schools we
\nwere unable to get to today. Six of my staff have been assigned
\nto do the job,\" Lutfi said.<\/p>\n
The head of PT PLN in Ambon, Suhud Setiabudi, said unpaid
\nelectric bills disrupted the company's operations.<\/p>\n
He said the Maluku provincial administration had declined to
\ntake any action to settle the problem, leaving the matter up to
\nthe company.<\/p>\n
\"So we were forced to do this, to temporarily disconnect the
\npower,\" he said.<\/p>\n
If the schools want their power back, they will have to pay
\ntheir bills, along with a late fee. If they fail to do this
\nwithin 30 days, the electricity will be permanently disconnected,
\nSuhud said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ambon-schools-in-the-dark-after-electricity-cuts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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