Ambon schools in the dark after electricity cuts

Ambon schools in the dark after electricity cuts

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

Electricity company PT PLN turned off the power to 27 schools in
Ambon on Tuesday over unpaid bills, leaving hundreds of students
in the dark.

PLN employees began arriving at the schools at 9 a.m. to cut
the electricity.

One PLN employee, Rustam Sukur, told The Jakarta Post the
electricity was only being temporarily disconnected.

"We are just sealing and cutting the electricity temporarily,"
head said.

The deputy principal of SDN 12 elementary school in Tawiri,
Muhamad Thahir Rumluan, regretted that the company cut off the
power without giving the school the opportunity to pay its Rp 2.1
million (US$221) bill, which is about 54 months overdue.

He said the bill was so high because for three years the
school accommodated seven families who had fled the sectarian
violence in the city.

"We did not collect any money from the families for the
electricity they used," Muhamad said.

The school also hosted night classes for Darussalam University
students from 2001 to 2004.

Though officials at the university promised to help cover the
electric bill, no money was ever forthcoming, he said.

"In the end, we the entire bill fell on us but the school does
not have the budget to pay it," Muhamad said.

He said the Ambon municipal administration provided Rp 15,000
a month to help cover the electric bill. However, the monthly
bill is between Rp 25,000 and Rp 30,000.

The school usually takes money from the students' tuition fees
to cover the electric bill.

At SMKN 4 vocational school in Ambon, vice principal E.
Tuanakotta said it was unfortunate PLN felt it had to cut the
power to the school, especially with exams approaching.

"This is a matter for the government because if nothing is
done it will hamper the holding of the examinations," he said.

SMKN 4 has an outstanding electric bill of a whopping Rp 214.5
million.

PT PLN's assistant manager for supplies and disconnections in
west Ambon, Lutfi Mual, said on Tuesday the company was unable to
shut off the power to all of the schools with outstanding bills
because of the distance of the schools.

He added that the company had sent letters to all of the
school asking for payment of their bills.

"Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will cut the power to the schools we
were unable to get to today. Six of my staff have been assigned
to do the job," Lutfi said.

The head of PT PLN in Ambon, Suhud Setiabudi, said unpaid
electric bills disrupted the company's operations.

He said the Maluku provincial administration had declined to
take any action to settle the problem, leaving the matter up to
the company.

"So we were forced to do this, to temporarily disconnect the
power," he said.

If the schools want their power back, they will have to pay
their bills, along with a late fee. If they fail to do this
within 30 days, the electricity will be permanently disconnected,
Suhud said.