JP/5/POWER

Electricity still out in 333 Maluku villages M. Azis Tunny The Jakarta Post/Ambon

Thousands of residents of 333 low-income communities in Maluku province are not connected to the power grid. In fact, according to data from the Maluku Mining and Energy Office, 125 isolated coastal villages near the Indonesian borders with Australia and Timor Leste have no access to electricity.

"As they have not been supplied with power, the residents use kerosene lamps at night," said A.G Simarmata, who is the chief of the Maluku administration's Mining and Energy Office.

In order to tackle the problem, Simarmata has proposed to the central government that power networks be expanded to cover isolated communities. His office has mapped out priority areas for power connection and hopes that by 2015, 129 Maluku villages will have electricity.

"The absence of electricity is of particular concern as this is important to communicate with the outside world and improve people's quality of living.

"But, geographical factors and funds have prevented the government from adapting electricity networks to include all areas in Maluku," said Simarmata.

A similar concern was voiced by State Minister for the Development of Disadvantaged Regions Saifullah Yusuf when he visited on Oct. 10 remote villages in Maluku.

Maluku was the scene of sectarian fighting between 1999 and 2002. Thousands of people were killed and hundreds thousands of others fled to other regions for safety during the conflict, which largely subsided after a government-sponsored pact in 2002. Sporadic attacks and bombings have been carried out until recently, however.

As development was stalled during the years of conflict the government has now made regional development a priority.

Maluku, like other areas in the eastern part of Indonesia, is less developed compared to the western part of the country.