To: Mr. Joko Widodo, the Governor of Jakarta,

Jakarta, June 6, 2013

Dear Mr. Joko Widodo,

Supporters of this petition are from various organizations, backgrounds and countries and they share a common concern for better public services. We are filing this petition because we believe that clean water is a basic need and a human right that must be applied equally for all citizens and be free from business interests. With this petition we respectfully request you to end the privatization of water services in Jakarta by terminating the cooperation between PAM Jaya (the government-owned Asset Holding Company) with the private operators, PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya and PT Aetra Air Jakarta, and to put water services back in the hands of the public.

The date 6 June, 2013 marks 15 years of the privatization of water services in Jakarta. In that time, the water services for the citizens of Jakarta have not improved and are still far from meeting the needs of the people. Water services are provided for only 62 per cent of the residents according to the operators. Even this service coverage rate is certainly far less in reality because significant numbers of citizens have to opt for other sources.

Customers’ complaints against poor water services have been repeatedly aired in the media. Customers still often find water pipe connection to their house have run dry, sometime for days. When the water does flow, it is often dirty and is not safe for consumption. Access to water then becomes difficult and costly.

Water in Jakarta is also very expensive compared to other major cities such as Surabaya, Makassar, and Medan, where the tariff ranges only between Rp. 2,000 and Rp. 2,600. In Jakarta, the average water tariff is up to Rp. 7,000, or about three times more expensive. It is a major financial burden, especially for the poor.

Ironically, despite the high water tariff, PAM Jaya is suffering from a massive financial loss of up Rp. 18.2 trillion (USD 1.9 billion). This loss will be borne in turn by the provincial government of Jakarta and the central government. This is because based the Governor of Jakarta and the Ministry of Finance have guaranteed their PAM Jaya will reimburse the private firms.

We also want to remind you that in 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) requires that Jakarta’s water services coverage should reach 80 per cent. If there is no real improvement in the current water services performance, and it is not made a strategic issue, Indonesia’s capital city will certainly not achieve the MDGs.

Therefore, with this petition we request you to:

1. End the privatization of water services in Jakarta by terminating the cooperation agreement between PAM Jaya and the private operators, PT PAM Lyonnaise Jaya and PT Aetra Air Jakarta

2. Return the water services to public hands through a reformed PAM Jaya

3. Improve the quality of water services in Jakarta, and make it available and affordable for all citizens.

Koalisi Masyarakat Menolak Swastanisasi Air Jakarta (KMMSAJ) – People’s Coalition to Resist Jakarta Water Privatization

This petition is supported by:

Organizations
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Individuals
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