JP\/5\/POWER<\/p>\n
Electricity still out in 333 Maluku villages
\nM. Azis Tunny
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Ambon<\/p>\n
Thousands of residents of 333 low-income communities in Maluku
\nprovince are not connected to the power grid.
\n In fact, according to data from the Maluku Mining and Energy
\nOffice, 125 isolated coastal villages near the Indonesian borders
\nwith Australia and Timor Leste have no access to electricity.<\/p>\n
"As they have not been supplied with power, the residents use
\nkerosene lamps at night," said A.G Simarmata, who is the chief of
\nthe Maluku administration's Mining and Energy Office.<\/p>\n
In order to tackle the problem, Simarmata has proposed to the
\ncentral government that power networks be expanded to cover
\nisolated communities. His office has mapped out priority areas
\nfor power connection and hopes that by 2015, 129 Maluku villages
\nwill have electricity.<\/p>\n
"The absence of electricity is of particular concern as this
\nis important to communicate with the outside world and improve
\npeople's quality of living.<\/p>\n
"But, geographical factors and funds have prevented the
\ngovernment from adapting electricity networks to include all
\nareas in Maluku," said Simarmata.<\/p>\n
A similar concern was voiced by State Minister for the
\nDevelopment of Disadvantaged Regions Saifullah Yusuf when he
\nvisited on Oct. 10 remote villages in Maluku.<\/p>\n
Maluku was the scene of sectarian fighting between 1999 and
\n2002. Thousands of people were killed and hundreds thousands of
\nothers fled to other regions for safety during the conflict,
\nwhich largely subsided after a government-sponsored pact in 2002.
\nSporadic attacks and bombings have been carried out until
\nrecently, however.<\/p>\n
As development was stalled during the years of conflict the
\ngovernment has now made regional development a priority.<\/p>\n
Maluku, like other areas in the eastern part of Indonesia, is
\nless developed compared to the western part of the country.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5power-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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