Legislator denies preparing petition to amend new power law

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) admitted on Wednesday they had submitted to the House their critical notes concerning the newly endorsed power bill, and that they were not really aiming to amend the law.

Permadi told Petromindo.Com they had just tried to remind DPR that the new power law would push electricity prices to go up, and accordingly many more people would not be able to get electricity in the future.

?Allowing liberalization in our power sector is against our article 33 of our Constitution,? Permadi said. The 1945 Constitution article stipulates government dominant roles in economic sectors decisive to basic needs of the public at large.

DPR on September 5 passed into law the government-sponsored power bill after one-and-a-half years deliberation. The law aims to liberalize the country?s power sector and dismantles the decades long monopoly of state electricity firm PLN.

Permadi, who is a member of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), said only four legislators, including himself, had filed their critical notes to DPR about the new power law.

There had been rumors that Permadi and other 14 House members were making preparations to file a petition to amend the new electricity law. (godang)