'Energy-saving must be mandatory for all'

The government has asked residents of Java and Bali to save energy from May 23 to June 6 because of anticipated power supply disruptions as the government does work on its power plants. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on this energy- saving campaign.

Fransiskus Budi Setyawan, 25, is an IT consultant with a financial company at the Chase Plaza building on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta. He lives with his family in Menteng Pulo, Tebet, South Jakarta:

Energy saving? That should be mandatory for all Jakarta residents. I heard, if I am not mistaken, that by 2008 the city will face serious power shortages because the aging power plants will no longer be able to meet rising electricity demand. It is urgent that we do everything we can to cut the use of electricity for unnecessary appliances.

At my office, on Saturdays, when only a few employees are in, we try to save energy by turning off all the lamps and air conditioners during the day, leaving only the computers on. We open the windows to let fresh air in.

I do not think any company would object to energy-saving schemes because they would benefit from lower electricity bills.

Lisa Gunawan, 30, works at securities company at the Jakarta Stock Exchange building on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta. She lives with her husband and son in Rawabunga, Jatinegara, East Jakarta:

I welcome the latest call from the administration for residents to reduce their energy use. All residents must take part in this energy-saving drive. I think the key is to make people aware of the need to save energy if we want to sustain the energy we have for future generations.

We are in dire need of developing new alternative sources of energy. Of course, these new sources should be environmentally friendly and produce fewer emissions. The search for such alternative energy sources will be one of the most important tasks for experts in the country.

--The Jakarta Post