Happy none to happy as lift drops

JAKARTA: Six legislators and 20 other people were trapped for over half an hour in an elevator in the main building of the House of Representatives in Senayan, Central Jakarta on Friday.

Allegedly overloaded, the elevator dropped into the basement from the first floor of the Nusantara I building, the first such incident to have happened in the House.

Security guards had to use force to open the elevator's doors to rescue the terrified passengers.

Legislator Happy None Zulkarnaen of Commission I for security and information affairs could not hide his relief as the guards rescued him.

"Thank God. I don't know what would have happened if they didn't help us."

Happy said he would file a protest with the House's general secretary, which is responsible for maintenance.

"The incident revealed there was no control of the lift. A big amount of funds has been allocated to maintain the facility," he said. -- JP