Water supply guaranteed despite protests
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration and two foreign partners of city water management company PDAM Jaya -- Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja) and Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) -- guaranteed on Monday the city's water supply would not be disrupted despite persistent protests by PDAM Jaya employees.
Assistant to the city secretary on development affairs Ongky Sukasah, Palyja commissioner Bernard Lafrogne and TPJ sales and marketing manager Nani Sariati said all main water installations were guarded by security officers.
Ongky stressed that the administration and the two foreign companies were responsible for the security of the eight major water installations.
Four of the installations -- Buaran, Pulogadung, Condet and Cilincing -- are under the management of TPJ, while the rest -- Pejompongan I and II, Cilandak and Taman Kota -- are under Palyja.
Lafrogne said 30 soldiers were on guard at each of the installations.
"We also anticipated (the situation) by instructing the city's five mayoralties to help improve security," he said.
PDAM Jaya's president Rama Boedi explained the water installations were guarded even under normal conditions.
"That's why there is nothing to worry about concerning the possibility of water disruption," he said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of uniformed PDAM Jaya's employees continued to protest in front of the company's headquarters on Jl. Penjernihan in Central Jakarta on Monday.
The protest, marked by a free speech forum, began at 8 a.m. and ended peacefully at 3 p.m. No posters nor banners were observed during the action.
Lafrogne dismissed as impossible a threat by PDAM Jaya's labor union to cut off the water supply if its demand for wage increases and dissolution of the cooperation agreement between PDAM Jaya and TPJ and Palyja were not met.
"Only a limited number of employees have access to the four plants under Palyja," he said.
Lafrogne also responded to the "very small" possibility of PDAM Jaya workers deliberately poisoning the water supply.
"Only tons of poisonous chemicals transferred into the waters could possibly poison the water, and how is anybody to do that without getting caught?"
Regarding the union's demand for better wages and allowances, Lafrogne explained that in line with the Ministry of Finance's decree issued in June 1998, PDAM Jaya's employee allowances were to be increased by at least 15 percent by April 1, 1999.
Palyja also increased the take-home pay of 1,500 PDAM Jaya employees working under it by 20.5 percent, he said.
A protest coordinator, Idris Mansuri, told The Jakarta Post that the cancellation of the cooperation agreement was essential because it was reached illegally.
"Governor Sutiyoso has to dissolve the cooperation agreement by the end of this month at the latest," he said.
"If not, we will conducting another massive protest at City Hall to push him to quit his post."
The protest involved employees of PDAM Jaya's 26 branches throughout Jakarta.
Head of the Gading Permai branch in North Jakarta, Bachtiar, said all of his 43 staff members took part in the protest.
"We are prepared to participate in the protest until our demands are fulfilled," he said. (01/ylt/ind)