Yogya sultan resolved power struggle<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
After fighting for the past two years against the presence of
\nhigh voltage transmission lines above their houses, Kresen
\nresidents in Bantul finally gave up the fight.<\/p>\n
Their lengthy struggle, fearing the hazardous impacts the 500
\nkilovolt transmission lines might have on their unborn children
\nand grandchildren, ended after Yogyakarta Governor Sultan
\nHamengkubuwono X, stepped in to resolve the matter.<\/p>\n
Following a meeting between the sultan of Yogyakarta and state
\nelectricity company PT PLN's President Director Eddie Widiono, it
\nhad been decided the project would continue and the residents
\nwere reluctant to go against the word of their ruler.<\/p>\n
\"Kulo naming sendhiko dawuh kalau memang Sultan menghendaki
\ntetap melalui rumah kami (I'm ready to follow if it's an order
\nfrom the sultan),\" a Kresen resident, Atik, 50, whose house is
\nlocated beneath the high tension wires, told The Jakarta Post in
\nJavanese.<\/p>\n
The sultan stepped in after the Bantul District Court, the
\nregental administration and the prosecutor's office were unable
\nto resolve the matter.<\/p>\n
His meeting with the residents abruptly ended the long protest
\nwith the people entrusting the Sultan to take over the matter and
\ndiscuss it with PLN's chief director.<\/p>\n
The meeting with PLN was held to discuss the advantages and
\ndisadvantages of having the power lines passing over the
\nresidents' houses or the possibility of diverting them.<\/p>\n
The residents, however, were resigned to accept whatever was
\nthe outcome as they consider the Sultan their cultural leader and
\nruler.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the residents decided to allow the high voltage
\npower lines to pass through the village and not to be diverted,
\nand that two more towers will be built.<\/p>\n
Eddie Widiono said PLN has to consult its Japanese partner,
\nNewject, if the lines were to be diverted since it would change
\nthe original plan. \"Besides that, we have to dismantle 12 other
\ntowers, and it would be too costly. The President has instructed
\nus to complete construction by October,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the power lines would be built according to the World
\nHealth Organization's standard of 18 meters above the ground.<\/p>\n
Residents will also receive compensation from PLN, the amount
\nof which is not yet known, but residents are expected to open
\nsavings accounts, he added.<\/p>\n
\"It's up to PLN to decide on the amount of compensation. The
\nmost important thing is, residents will get their rights and will
\nbe able to avoid dealing with middlemen wishing to profit from
\nthe situation,\" the sultan said.<\/p>\n
For the residents, they are resigned to accept the decision.<\/p>\n
\"Even though we don't accept the decision wholeheartedly, we
\nwill accept the outcome. We surrender everything to the sultan,
\nand appeal for his assurance to protect us if anything happens to
\nour children and grandchildren,\" said Atik.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yogya-sultan-resolved-power-struggle-1447893297",
"image": ""
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