State electricity firm admits to poor service

JAKARTA (JP): State electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has acknowledged its unsatisfactory customer services, which it says are partly due to employees who ignore public complaints.

Many costumers have complained about having their electricity supply interrupted without prior announcement, the chief of PLN's power distribution department for Jakarta and Tangerang region, Tunggono, said over the weekend.

"Unfortunately, our employees have not addressed the complaints properly," he added.

The usual response from PLN staff is "The problem is being handled, or, our technicians are on the way to find out what is going on," he said.

Such poor services might be because PLN is the sole supplier of electricity in the country. PLN now has 1.9 million subscribers throughout the country of 195 million people.

In a bid to get closer to its customers and to learn what their exact complaints are, PLN has called a meeting to hold talks with its customers tomorrow.

"We will hold the dialog to eliminate complaints and to share our problems," the company's chief of public relations, Alfian Helmi, said.

He said that some 250 customers are expected to attend the discussion which is to be conducted in cooperation with the Kompas daily newspaper at the Bentara Budaya building on Jl. Palmerah Selatan.

Helmi said that those interested in the discussion should dial 5357870 to 5357872 to reserve seats.

Participants will have the chance of winning door-prizes consisting of color television sets, radio-tape recorders, rice cookers, and other appliances. (kod)