Yogya sultan resolved power struggle

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

After fighting for the past two years against the presence of high voltage transmission lines above their houses, Kresen residents in Bantul finally gave up the fight.

Their lengthy struggle, fearing the hazardous impacts the 500 kilovolt transmission lines might have on their unborn children and grandchildren, ended after Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, stepped in to resolve the matter.

Following a meeting between the sultan of Yogyakarta and state electricity company PT PLN's President Director Eddie Widiono, it had been decided the project would continue and the residents were reluctant to go against the word of their ruler.

"Kulo naming sendhiko dawuh kalau memang Sultan menghendaki tetap melalui rumah kami (I'm ready to follow if it's an order from the sultan)," a Kresen resident, Atik, 50, whose house is located beneath the high tension wires, told The Jakarta Post in Javanese.

The sultan stepped in after the Bantul District Court, the regental administration and the prosecutor's office were unable to resolve the matter.

His meeting with the residents abruptly ended the long protest with the people entrusting the Sultan to take over the matter and discuss it with PLN's chief director.

The meeting with PLN was held to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having the power lines passing over the residents' houses or the possibility of diverting them.

The residents, however, were resigned to accept whatever was the outcome as they consider the Sultan their cultural leader and ruler.

Eventually, the residents decided to allow the high voltage power lines to pass through the village and not to be diverted, and that two more towers will be built.

Eddie Widiono said PLN has to consult its Japanese partner, Newject, if the lines were to be diverted since it would change the original plan. "Besides that, we have to dismantle 12 other towers, and it would be too costly. The President has instructed us to complete construction by October," he said.

He said the power lines would be built according to the World Health Organization's standard of 18 meters above the ground.

Residents will also receive compensation from PLN, the amount of which is not yet known, but residents are expected to open savings accounts, he added.

"It's up to PLN to decide on the amount of compensation. The most important thing is, residents will get their rights and will be able to avoid dealing with middlemen wishing to profit from the situation," the sultan said.

For the residents, they are resigned to accept the decision.

"Even though we don't accept the decision wholeheartedly, we will accept the outcome. We surrender everything to the sultan, and appeal for his assurance to protect us if anything happens to our children and grandchildren," said Atik.