Sleman PDAM executives named

YOGYAKARTA: Three new executives hired through the first open and transparent recruitment process by Sleman regency for its PDAM tap water company will be officially installed on March 1.

The three are Suratno as president director, Sulistyo as director of public affairs and Achadi Budi Cahyono as technical director. They will hold their positions until 2008.

"PDAM faces great challenges ahead. That's why we need professionals with good visions for the company," said PDAM's head of quality control Djoko Handoyo.

Djoko was also chairman of the recruitment team, which also included members of the local administration.

Djoko said that for the last two years the company had not contributed to the regency's revenue. The new management, he said, would be tasked with improving services, increasing customer coverage and generating a Rp 20 billion income per year.

With some 18,000 customers out of the regency's 900,000 households, Sleman PDAM has the capacity of producing 449,003 cubic meters of water a month, only 289,695 cubic meters of which is sold. The remaining 134,000 cubic meters is lost though leakages. The company also a has Rp 11 billion debt, which was extended in the form of a loan by the New Order regime in the 1995/1996 fiscal year despite the company not needing the loan.

Djoko also reported that 98 people had applied for the positions but only 88 had been deemed eligible. The recruitment process was carried out in November and December last year. -- JP