Reuters - Video

Edition: US | UK | IN | CN | JP

video Video

Bernanke steps into the spotlight
Bernanke steps into the spotlight - 02:13
The official royal wedding guest list revealed
The official royal wedding guest list revealed - 01:23
Shuttle astronauts arrive at Cape Canaveral
Shuttle astronauts arrive at Cape Canaveral - 01:18
Waiting for Bernanke
Waiting for Bernanke - 01:51
Hospital staff flee border fighting
Hospital staff flee border fighting - 01:10
Thousands at Sai Baba funeral
Thousands at Sai Baba funeral - 01:03
Al Qaeda releases hostage messages
Al Qaeda releases hostage messages - 01:43
Obama calls birth controversy \
Obama calls birth controversy "distracting" - 05:29
Three blasts hit Kirkuk
Three blasts hit Kirkuk - 01:25
Protests intensify in Yemen
Protests intensify in Yemen - 01:24
Border clashes displace thousands
Border clashes displace thousands - 01:50
S&P Credit Rating Warning Helpful - Lister
S&P Credit Rating Warning Helpful - Lister - 00:53

Power shortages hamper rural Indonesia

Sunday, August 07, 2011 - 02:11

Aug. 7 - Indonesia's hopes of becoming an economic powerhouse could be jeopardised by chronic electricity problems. Simon Hanna reports.

▲ Hide Transcript

▶ View Transcript

Jakarta - the busy capital of Indonesia, and the city at the forefront of the country's bid to become an economic powerhouse. With growth of around 6.5 percent, Indonesia is hoping to become a world top-10 economy by 2025. But outside of the capital, it's a very different story. Basic infrastructure problems such as power shortages remain prevalent in some parts of Indonesia, potentially derailing the country's dreams of becoming a major economic power. Here in Lekoh Temor village in East Java Province, residents still struggle for light at night. Villagers say they feel left behind as other parts of the country develop and advance. (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) VILLAGER, MUNIR: "We have not achieved independence here, we do not feel the meaning of liberty." Government officials say 65 percent of the 235 million population have a power supply, but in some provinces that number is as low as 30 percent. The government authorities though aren't the only ones involved in providing residents with power. One NGO helps communities throughout Indonesia build hydropower plants. The co-founder of the organisation, Tri Mumpuni, says it's all about empowerment. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOUNDER OF INDONESIA CENTRED BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC INSTITUTE (IBEKA), TRI MUMPUNI: "I am talking about empowerment, even though the subject is electricity but the bottom line is about empowerment. If we energize the community we empower them, then we can have sustainable supply of electricity." Some villagers have begun taking matters into their own hands by installing solar panels, even though they are ineffective during the rainy season. If Indonesia is to succeed in its bid to become a major economic powerhouse, it will have to succeed first in spreading power to its people. Simon Hanna, Reuters.

Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code

Close

Power shortages hamper rural Indonesia

Sunday, August 07, 2011 - 02:11

Featured Videos

Craft beer and WW2 - Russia's football venues

Craft beer and WW2 - Russia's football venues

With fans around the globe fixed on Russia, Reuters has asked it's correspondent's in the lesser known World Cup venues what they've found memorable
Viking culture comes alive in Kaliningrad village

Viking culture comes alive in Kaliningrad village

World Cup fans have a chance to see how the Vikings lived at a rebuilt settlement close to modern-day Kaliningrad, one of the host cities of the tournament
Wearing bast shoes, fans test their skills at Mordovian soccer

Wearing bast shoes, fans test their skills at Mordovian soccer

Mordovian soccer, dubbed 'lapotball,' refers to the traditional shoes made of vine which Mordovian residents used to wear in olden days
Elon Musk's Boring Co to build high-speed commuter system in Chicago

Elon Musk's Boring Co to build high-speed commuter system in Chicago

Chicago has selected billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's Boring Co to build a high-speed underground commuter system from the downtown Loop district to O'Hare International Airport
Moscow metro an underground museum of Soviet history and art

Moscow metro an underground museum of Soviet history and art

As fans descend on Moscow for the World Cup and take the metro to the match venues, they will also be hopping onto an art and history tour, with stations resembling underground palaces