JP/5/POWER

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.