REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Some 5.2 million Indonesians have no access to electricity, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan stated. The figure is equal to two percent of the country's population.

"Some 5.2 million people in Indonesia have yet to have access to electricity. The figure is equal to Singapore's population. I hope that next year all people in the country would have access to electricity, and for remote areas that are difficult to reach, we will use renewable energy," Jonan noted here on Wednesday.

As of the third quarter of 2018, the national electrification ratio had reached 98 percent.

"Some 98 percent of the people in the country already have access to electricity. This has surpassed our medium-term development target of 97.5 percent by the end of 2018. Next year, we have targeted to reach 99.9 percent (of the electrification ratio)," Jonan noted.

According to the minister, the use of renewable energy will help provide access to electricity in remote areas.

In addition to power supply, the government will set an affordable price for electricity, so it can be enjoyed by all people in the country.

"In accordance with the president's guidance, electricity should be affordable to all people. Hence, electricity should be available not only for the middle-class society but also for the less fortunate," Jonan added.

The government will not allow people in remote areas to lag behind big cities' residents, who already enjoy access to electricity and internet, he added.

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