PLN unfair

PLN unfair

From Warta Kota

The April 30, 2001 edition of Warta Kota published a news report of a unilateral act by the state electricity company (PLN) under which the company has decided to stop serving requests for additional electricity from less well-off people. Every applicant for additional electrical capacity needs to request an extra 1,350 watts at the minimum. The paper added that as a result of PLN's policy, it was feared that electricity theft would become even more rampant.

It must be pointed out that this policy of PLN is unfair. It is not only discriminatory in nature but it was adopted without proper consideration. If the company had suffered losses because of its poor management in the past, it should not adopt such an unpopular policy to overcome its problems. In any other country, subsidies are made available to poor citizens. And our 1945 Constitution stipulates the same thing. PLN will win greater plaudits if in its efforts to improve its performance it does not impose unnecessary burdens on the people.

In this case, PLN must learn from the example of other state companies as to how to run a business more profitably.

YOEL BACHRI

Jakarta