Leading NGO quits electricity tariff team
Friday, February 11 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The International NGO (non-governmental organization) Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) has walked out from a membership in the government-sponsored electricity tariff restructuring team.
INFID chief Zoemrotin K. said Thursday that the NGO made the move because it was revealed that the team was financed by the Asian Development Bank, which has often been criticized by the NGO for continuously providing loans to the previous corrupt government.
Zoemrotin also said that the NGO was not consulted by the team when it recently announced a controversial recommendation of a 55 percent hike in electricity tariff during a hearing session with the House of Representatives commission VIII on mining and energy.
The recommendation has received strong criticism from legislators because of the huge tariff hike amid the current weak economic condition.
The electricity tariff includes several NGOs and government officials.(*)