Council irked by water scheme

Council irked by water scheme

TANGERANG: Tangerang Council members reprimanded the
administration for its decision to let tap water company PDAM
Tirta Kerta Raharja go on with a partnership initiative with an
Australian investor without consulting them beforehand.

"Regent Ismet Iskandar cannot decide on such a collaboration
of a regental enterprise with a third party without first
consulting us, because it concerns public interests," councillor
Muin Busni said on Monday.

The regent recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between the water company and the Australian company -- the name
of which has not been disclosed -- to repair the Cikokol water
installation under Tangerang municipal jurisdiction and to
increase its supply.

Another councillor, Sys Abdulgani, said the council had
summoned Ismet to clarify his actions.

"We also need to know about the credibility of the foreign
investor," he said.

Separately, PDAM Tirta spokesman Anda Suhanda said the
Australian investor had channeled the capital via private water
company PT Tirta Kencana Mandiri.

"The MOU is now a week old, but the partnership has yet to
start because we're still awaiting a green light from the
council," he told The Jakarta Post from Yogyakarta.

According to Suhanda, the partnership included a cancellation
clause, while the MOU would automatically expire if the council
rejected it. -- JP