Residents protest PLN

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): Residents in the Karawaci housing complex complained to the local branch of the state-owned electricity company PLN about arbitrary power cuts for street lights.

Asanawi Sabrawi, the branch director of PLN, confirmed he received letters of protest from the area, where he said residents obtained electricity illegally.

"If residents feel wronged, they should first try to report to the administration, which would forward the complaints to us," Asanawi said.

A resident of the Perumnas Karawaci II complex, Hadi Husnan, said the street lights were installed by PLN employees two years ago.

"It was PLN technicians who installed the electric poles and put the street lamps on them. Now they cut the power," Suyono, one of the complainants, said.

Another resident, Subagyo, urged the company to consider public interest, as the roads were dark at night.

Asanawi added that employees authorized to install street lights are those from firms with contract numbers from the electricity company.

PLN, he said, suffers billions of rupiah in losses each year from illegal use of electricity. (18/anr)