Tangerang residents live in darkness

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Many residents in Tangerang regency are complaining about the lack of street illumination, which leaves a lot of streets in the dark at night and prone to crime.

"We have to pay, for street illumination, as much as 3 percent of our monthly electricity bill, but the streets are still dark. Where does all the money go?" Samsudin, 45, a resident of Saga Balaraja village told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He said that street lighting could only be found around the district main towns and main roads like Jl. Raya Serang, but the roads heading to several districts, such as Kresek, Tigaraksa, Cikupa, Balaraja, Jayanti, Cisoka and Jambe Panongan were dark at night.

Safe'i, 56, who lives in Teluk Naga district, said crime often took place along Jl. Raya Kampung Melayu heading toward Teluk Naga, due to the darkness.

He said there had been dozens of muggings along the dark road over the past six months.

According to monitoring by The Jakarta Post of Tangerang's districts, Jl. Raya Mauk, Jl. Raya Kronjo, Jl. Raya Rajeg and Jl. Sukadiri are all dark during the night.

Assistant manager of state electricity company (PLN) in Teluk Naga, Yasnedi, acknowledged that many street lights did not function, but refused to take the blame.

"It's understandable if the residents point their finger at PLN for the absence of street lighting because they pay street illumination fees to PLN as part of their monthly electricity bill. But they do not know that we give the money to the regency administration," he said.

He said that since early this year, PLN Teluk Naga had transferred to the administration Rp 5 billion in street illumination fee payments from district residents and another Rp 6 billion from the airport management.