Outspoken Djiteng replaced by Adhi as PLN president<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister for the Empowerment of State
\nEnterprises Tanri Abeng formally reshuffled yesterday the board
\nof directors of debt-ridden state electricity company PLN,
\nincluding the removal of its outspoken president Djiteng Marsudi.<\/p>\n
After several weeks of delay, Tanri installed Adhi Satriya,
\nformer director of PJB II, a PLN subsidiary for Java and Bali, to
\nreplace Djiteng in a closed ceremony held early in the morning at
\nhis office in the Jakarta Stock Exchange building.<\/p>\n
\"I was informed about my installment only yesterday afternoon
\nby Pak Tanri's staff,\" Adhi said.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was held at 8:30 a.m., one hour earlier than
\nscheduled, apparently to avoid likelihood of protests from people
\nopposed to Djiteng's removal. No protest occurred.<\/p>\n
Announced early this month, the plan to replace Djiteng drew
\nire from PLN employees who charged his removal was due to his
\noutspoken opposition to nepotism in awarding private power
\nprojects. Several legislators also opposed his replacement.<\/p>\n
PLN has signed contracts with 26 independent power producers
\n(IPPs), most of which are controlled by international power
\ncompanies in partnership with former president Soeharto's family
\nand associates.<\/p>\n
Djiteng blamed the IPPs as one factor behind PLN's huge loss
\namid the monetary crisis. He had tried in vain to renegotiate
\nwith the IPPs on the U.S. dollar-denominated tariffs for their
\npower since late last year.<\/p>\n
He was lauded by proponents of reform for unilaterally
\nannulling a power purchase contract with PT Cikarang Listrindo,
\nwhich is controlled by Soeharto's cousin Sudwikatmono.<\/p>\n
Djiteng repeatedly said he had been coerced to sign the
\ncontracts with the IPPs due to rampant influence peddling by
\nthose in power.<\/p>\n
Some PLN employees had threatened to stop power supply to the
\npublic if the plan to replace Djiteng was realized.<\/p>\n
In response, the head of PLN's distribution office for Jakarta
\nand Tangerang, Tunggono, who was earlier tipped to replace
\nDjiteng, asked the Jakarta chapter of the Coordinating Agency for
\nNational Stability and Security two weeks ago to take stern
\naction if the threat was carried out.<\/p>\n
It was earlier rumored that Djiteng would head the Committee
\nfor the Restructuring of PLN, but he said yesterday there was no
\nconfirmation from the ministry on the position.<\/p>\n
\"I can't say right now if I will accept the position or not,
\nbecause I have not yet been informed about my job in that
\nposition.\"<\/p>\n
Tanri also appointed Tunggono as PLN's director of operations,
\nParno Isworo as finance director, Eddy Suwondo as marketing and
\ndistribution director, Hardiv Situmeang as director of planning,
\nand Azwani Sjech Umar as human resource and organization
\ndirector. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/outspoken-djiteng-replaced-by-adhi-as-pln-president-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}