Avoid hike in phone charges
Avoid hike in phone charges
The public seem to be having more burdens placed upon them at
the moment. There will be a rise in tap water and electricity
rates and we also hear that the prices of daily commodities are
also up. In addition to that, telephone rates will also shortly
be rising, as will telephone installation charges. It appears
true, that the public are always the victims.
As a member of the public I object to these hikes. As the
Indonesian Consumer's Foundation (YLKI) has stated, the burden
should not be placed on the public. If the government could take
stern action and confiscate state assets that have been siphoned
off and prevent fresh corruption, the funds would be very useful
indeed for the development of our telecommunications industry.
On the basis of the Minister of Communications and
Telecommunications Decree No.19/2001, dated May 31, 2001, Telkom
has announced that the telephone rates will rise by 45.49 percent
over three years and that the hike will be 21.67 percent in 2001.
In my opinion, there is a cheap alternative means of
communication that will allow us to foster brotherhood at home
and abroad by using mail managed by PT Pos Indonesia.
Unless it is very urgent for you to contact your family, you
might as well just send letters. On the basis of the Decree of
Minister of Communications and Telecommunications No.60/2000
dated September 2000, the ordinary domestic mail rate is Rp 900
for a letter weighing up to 20 grams. The rate for express mail
for the same weight is only Rp 2,500. Super express mail of up to
50 gram in weight will cost a single price, regardless of the
domestic destination.
If we write a letter, the recipient will usually read and re-
read the main content of our letter. Speaking on the phone does
not allow you to do the same. After the conversation is over,
there is no more follow up. If we send a letter under a
registered mail system, we have official evidence of the dispatch
of the letter. We can also tell our family back home that we once
inquired about their health.
It is true that only a very small percentage of Indonesians
can write. The data shows that Indonesians write, on average, one
letter every four months.
Let's promote writing and make it part of our lives. Writing,
besides, can make you think more systematically. If you wish to
have a lot of friends and hope to become more closely related to
your family members, don't forget to write a letter.
GUSTAP P.M. MARPAUNG
Jakarta