Extortionists disappear from Soekarno-Hatta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said
\nyesterday that the notorious extortionists who used to prey on
\nreturning workers have completely disappeared from Soekarno-Hatta
\nairport.<\/p>\n
"You can see that the system is again working well," an
\napparently satisfied Latief told reporters after touring the
\nairport terminal.<\/p>\n
The extortionists were nowhere to be found at least during
\nLatief's tour with Director General of Immigration Roni Sikap
\nSinuraya, Jakarta Military Chief Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono and City
\nPolice Deputy Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Ismet.<\/p>\n
During the inspection the minister welcomed some 100
\nIndonesian workers who were returning from Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Latief said the workers would be transported to Cakung by the
\nstate-owned bus company Damri. "This company has been temporarily
\nentrusted to transport the workers from the airport to their home
\nvillages and the ticket fares will not exceed the standard
\nprice."<\/p>\n
Hendropriyono said that at least 30 people, four of whom were
\nmilitary officers, have been detained for extorting workers at
\nthe airport.<\/p>\n
"The detainees will be processed in accordance with the law,"
\nhe said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
He said that he had also deployed around 250 military and 50
\npolice officers to launch a crackdown on illegal brokers
\nextorting workers at the airport.<\/p>\n
But Roni said that he did not believe that immigration
\nofficers at the airport were involved in the extortion cases.<\/p>\n
"I'm not sure that crooked immigration officers in this
\nairport are involved in such cases because they are able to
\nidentify who has money and who does not," he said, adding that no
\nimmigration officers were punished for extorting workers.<\/p>\n
Cooperation<\/p>\n
Meanwhile A. Rachim K., the director general of manpower
\nmanagement and placement at the Ministry of Manpower said on
\nMonday that the ministry will cooperate with the Soekarno-Hatta
\nairport authority, Perum Angkasapura, to protect the returning
\nworkers from extortionists at the airport.<\/p>\n
"We will contact the airport administration soon and discuss
\neach other's role and responsibility in handling the case,"
\nRachim said.<\/p>\n
Rachim was commenting on Perum Angkasapura's unilateral
\ndecision Monday to transport 66 returning workers on Damri buses
\ndirectly to their manpower placement agency offices in Ciracas,
\nEast Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A total of 281 workers arrived from abroad at the airport on
\nMonday, but the airport authority took only 66 of them to
\nCiracas. The rest traveled to their hometowns by taxi or bus.<\/p>\n
Rachim said he regretted that the airport authority did not
\ndiscuss the plan to arrange special transportation for the
\nreturnees with him first.<\/p>\n
Rachim's secretary, H.J. Iskandarsyah, said he had long been
\nexpecting the airport administration to help with the transport
\nprocess because "it is their responsibility to do so," but he
\nstated that the airport administration should inform his office
\nfirst for the sake of coordination. (rms\/arf)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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