'I'll sell the TV, I don't care'

State television station TVRI seems determined to reinstate monthly license fees for TV owners, which would range in cost between Rp 3,000 (about 30 US cents) and Rp 12,000, depending on the amount of power being used in a house. If TV owners failed to pay the fee, their power would be temporarily disconnected. The Jakarta Post asked some residents for their thoughts about this proposal.

Windrati Gang, 36, is a self-employed caterer. She lives with her family in Tanah Mas, East Jakarta:

Really, they (TVRI) will charge the fee again?

I can't believe it. Nobody ever watches TVRI. I think there is only one person in a million in the capital who ever clicks to that channel. I for one stopped watching it when private TV station RCTI went on air.

The only TVRI program that I occasionally watch is Dansa Yo Dansa (Come on Dance), and that's not very often. I won't pay the fee, not until the station runs better programs.

TVRI needs to work on its programs until it can rise to the same level as private stations. Only then can it ask people to pay for its services.

Fajran Novita, 32, is a taxi driver. He lives with his wife and two children in a rented house in Senen, Central Jakarta:

Nope. I will not pay such a license fee. What for? To make some rich people richer? I guarantee you that there would be leakage before the money got into the right hands. Besides, I already have too many bills to pay.

And if they insisted on cutting off the electricity to my house, well, then let them. I'll sell the TV set, I don't care.

Although it is the state TV station we're talking about, I'm no less nationalistic if I refuse to pay the fee, even if it may get TVRI out of a huge debt. After all, it's all about business competition. Only the best can survive, right?

--The Jakarta Post