Bank employees mull rally in support of colleagues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A newly founded workers union threatened
\nyesterday to stage \"a massive but peaceful\" rally soon unless the
\ngovernment settles the fate of 12,000 employees of three
\nsuspended private banks.<\/p>\n
Giving no definite date or place for the protest, the
\nFederation of Indonesian Financial Institutions and Banking
\nWorkers Organizations spokesman, Tavip, said he would soon call
\nhis contacts, including those at the three banks, to realize the
\nplan unless there are clear signs of a favorable settlement for
\nthe 12,000 workers.<\/p>\n
\"We're ready to hold a massive but peaceful demonstration to
\nsupport their demands,\" Tavip, who claimed to be a former
\nemployee of HongKong Bank in Jakarta, told a media conference at
\nthe Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI).<\/p>\n
So far, he said, the union, known by its abbreviation Forkuba,
\nonly has dozens of members but has contacts with workers
\nthroughout the industry.<\/p>\n
According to Tavip, Forkuba is insisting the government does
\nnot dismiss the 12,000 employees of Bank Dagang Nasional
\nIndonesia (BDNI), Bank Umum Nasional (BUN) and Modern Bank, which
\nthe government suspended Friday pending their liquidation.<\/p>\n
The government, instead, should provide them with jobs at
\nsister companies of the three banks, he said, but did not
\nelaborate on the fate of the existing workers at the companies.<\/p>\n
If the government, he said, had to dismiss the bank employees,
\nit should invite the employees' representatives to meet the bank
\nexecutives in order to get fair severance payment.<\/p>\n
Learning from the many cases of financially troubled banks in
\nthis country, the government should discuss everything related to
\nemployees with workers unions before being approving their
\ndismissal, he said.<\/p>\n
YLBHI's labor division head, Teten Masduki, suggested the
\ngovernment rule that banks should give a portion of their shares
\nto the employees to allow the latter to partly control the banks'
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Investigation<\/p>\n
The police said yesterday they had started to investigate the
\nthree suspended banks.<\/p>\n
According to National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar
\nSianipar, officers have prepared a preliminary investigation into
\nthe three banks, including the listing of possible suspects and
\ntracing and collecting evidence.<\/p>\n
\"As investigators, the police have to be ready to thoroughly
\nprobe the banks. This is a crucial matter which needs to be
\nhandled carefully,\" Togar told reporters.<\/p>\n
But, he said, the police were still waiting for the final
\nresult of Bank Indonesia's investigation.<\/p>\n
Besides the three suspended banks, National Police economic
\ncrime detectives are also investigating dozens of top executives
\nof the 16 insolvent banks that the government closed last
\nNovember for their alleged violation of the country's banking
\nlaws.<\/p>\n
The police have already named 24 suspects from seven banks.<\/p>\n
Togar said yesterday that police have summoned 65 people as
\nwitnesses in the probe of the seven banks: Sejahtera Bank Umum
\n(SBU), Bank Harapan Sentosa (BHS), South East Asia Bank (SEAB),
\nBank Pasific, Bank Anrico, Bank Kosa Graha and Bank Pinaesaan.<\/p>\n
\"The witnesses include Bank Indonesia staff, employees of the
\nseven banks and other reliable witnesses such as customers of the
\ntroubled banks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Togar also corrected an earlier statement that three of the 24
\nsuspects had been put on the police's most wanted list since they
\nwere thought to have left the country.<\/p>\n
\"Currently only two suspects, Hendra Rahardja and Eko Edi
\nPutranto, respectively chief commissioner and president of BHS,
\nare on the red notice to be hunted by Interpol.<\/p>\n
\"The other suspect, Lesmana Basuki, the SBU commissioner, has
\nmet his police summons. He's not leaving the country,\" Togar
\nsaid. (jun\/edt)<\/p>",
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