President Yudhoyono’s attention focus, the Bibit-Chandra case vs electricity crisis in Jakarta.
Indonesia Matters posters have not opened up on the main news story of the month, or year, so here goes.
Blearily, being a not-very-hyper type before siang, I heard the President on the morning news on the 18th, declaring (not in so many words) that his
patience was exhausted and if they couldn’t get their act together, he’d turf them out and get people who were up to the task.
Unfortunately, I was too early in my hoarse cheering, for the news item concerned not the police nor the Attorney-General, but our wretched suppliers of electricity, PLN.
The Jakarta Globe later filled me in on the report, viz.
A visibly angry President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Tuesday warned state utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara that if it could not end the nation’s power shortages — especially in Jakarta — then other independent companies may be given the chance to do so.
“PLN seems to have a limited capability on this issue, and it would be wrong if PLN wanted to handle [the nation’s power needs all alone]. Other companies should be given the opportunity through the correct regulations and policies”.
Yudhoyono said after a limited cabinet meeting held with PLN directors on Tuesday. He did not elaborate.
And fine words, hopefully elaborated actively asap! Black-Outs are a bore, and disrupt a lot of things we like and need to do.
But would it not have been even finer had SBY made some similar declaration about the Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M Hamzah corruption and police scandal that is surging all around him. Despite the fact that he was actually named by one of the presumed participants in the nefarious events concerning the Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi, KPK), he has remained largely aloof.
We need him to come out fighting, lopping bureaucratic heads in all directions.
Or is there greater risk of fatal shock if you touch the Untouchables than there is if you touch the electricity?
Copyright Indonesia Matters 2006-2023
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact
Had a bad case of inertia or possibly stupor with this one.
Anyway I think SBY’s response to the team of 8’s report was that the recommendations about cleaning out the police, attorney general’s office (and KPK incidentally) were ‘sunnah’, ie good to be followed but not mandatory, which might not be a good sign for anything happening.