Electricity poles are strategic assets owned by the state. Any\nutilisation for business purposes must have a permit and meet\nadministrative and financial obligations.<\/p>\n
Jakarta \u2014 PLN Watch has urged the government and law enforcement to\ntake firm action against internet service providers that install cables\nand network devices on PLN\u2019s electricity poles without official\npermission.<\/p>\n
\u2018Electricity poles are strategic assets owned by the state. Any\nutilisation for business purposes must have a permit and meet\nadministrative and financial obligations,\u2019 said PLN Watch General\nChairman Tohom Purba in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u2018If used without permission, the state stands to lose potential\nrevenue and the rule of law is at stake.\u2019<\/p>\n
Tohom said the practice has occurred in various regions and has\ncaused public concern because, in addition to harming the state, it also\nthreatens public safety.<\/p>\n
Tohom cited several cases widely reported in the media recently. In\nKarangjeruk, for instance, residents complained of suspected illegal\nWi-Fi networks piggybacking on electricity poles.<\/p>\n
Then in Rembang, PLN issued clarifications regarding the\nproliferation of internet cables crowding the electricity poles.\nMeanwhile in Panyabungan, PLN through the local ULP carried out actions\nto clear illegal Wi-Fi cables.<\/p>\n
Tohom argued that the widespread use of electricity poles without\npermits reveals gaps in oversight that must be closed promptly.<\/p>\n
He argued that enforcement should not be sporadic, but should be\nconducted through a national audit involving the relevant agencies.<\/p>\n
\u2018If left unchecked, there will emerge a perception that state assets\ncan be used freely without rules. This is dangerous. The state must\nensure that every metre of public infrastructure is used in an orderly\nfashion and delivers maximum benefit to the people,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
He added that, in addition to visual clutter, installing cables\nwithout clear technical standards can increase the risk of power\ndisruptions, short circuits, and accidents for both workers and the\npublic.<\/p>\n
Tohom believes that Indonesia\u2019s digital transformation must be built\non a foundation of legal compliance.<\/p>\n
According to him, companies that have followed official procedures\nshould not be disadvantaged by operators who evade obligations.<\/p>\n
\u2018Healthy competition will only exist if all business players comply\nwith the same rules. There must be no business model that grows by\nillegally piggybacking on state facilities,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
He urged the Ministry of Communications and Digital, the BP BUMN,\nlocal governments, and law enforcement to coordinate an inventory and\ncomprehensive crackdown on the use of electricity poles across\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\u2018State assets must be protected, the law must be upheld, and the\neconomic benefits must return to the people,\u2019 he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pln-watch-internet-service-providers-must-not-use-pln-poles-without-permission-1779546398", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }