IPTN employee says corruption report cost job<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): An employee of the state-owned aircraft
\nmanufacturing company IPTN believes he has been sacked for
\nblowing the whistle on alleged corruption by his superior.<\/p>\n
Asep Rukmana, 35, who headed the company's Bandung-based
\nbureau of technical administration, reported to the Indonesian
\nLegal Aid Institute office in Bandung yesterday that on Wednesday
\nhe received a letter from IPTN informing him that from Monday he
\nwould no longer have a job. The notice was signed by IPTN
\ndirector of general affairs Widyanarso Doeriat.<\/p>\n
Asep had earlier claimed that the company's current assistant
\nto the chief director, identified as GS, was involved in illegal
\nactivities in the tendering of a contract for a civil engineering
\nproject. During the tendering procedure, GS was head of budget
\nplanning.<\/p>\n
In reporting the alleged irregularities to the government's
\ncomplaint-box, P.O. Box 5000, and several ministries, Asep
\nclaimed that the corruption was costing the state over Rp 372
\nmillion (US$161,740).<\/p>\n
The distraught employee explained that he had been called in
\nby company officials on Tuesday and was told he had to either
\nresign or be fired.<\/p>\n
He refused to resign and was given notice the very next day.<\/p>\n
\"In the meeting, I was accused of tarnishing the company's
\ngood name and that of my superiors,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Presided over by State Minister of Research and Technology
\nB.J. Habibie, IPTN is the company which produces Indonesia's CN-
\n235 and CN-250 aircraft.<\/p>\n
IPTN public relations manager MT Satoto denied that Asep was
\nbeing dismissed because of his reports.<\/p>\n
\"Asep's reports are much appreciated and are being followed-up
\nby the appropriate authorities,\" Satoto said, adding that the
\ncompany's decision to dismiss the technical administrator was an
\ninternal matter, and one which was taken because the man was
\nconsidered to have violated discipline.<\/p>\n
Apart from the violation, Asep had also defied his superiors'
\norder, Satoto said.<\/p>\n
The public relations officer refused to give more details
\nabout the discipline violations that Asep was supposed to have
\ncommitted. When pressed further, Satoto only told journalists to
\nwait until Monday when the final dismissal letter is issued.<\/p>\n
Asep strongly denied Satoto's claims, saying that in his 16
\nyears with the company he has maintained a good record proven by
\nthe fact that his bonus was usually higher than that of his
\ncolleagues.<\/p>\n
The father of four children said he will fight the dismissal
\nand has solicited the help of the legal aid institute to file a
\nsuit with the State Administrative Court.<\/p>\n
\"It's not me who should be fired but those corrupt officials,\"
\nsaid Asep.<\/p>\n
He has also asked the legal aid foundation to help him seek
\nprotection for his family, who have become a target of
\nintimidation by some unidentified people since he made the
\nOctober report.<\/p>\n
The director of the legal aid office, Mrs. Melani, said that
\nit is ironic that Asep, who had good intentions in reporting
\ncorruption, is having his family terrorized and his career
\nblocked.<\/p>\n
Asep himself kept a brave face, saying he would not step back
\neven under such threatening circumstances. \"I still have this
\nbelief that I won't be fired,\" he said.(17\/mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/iptn-employee-says-corruption-report-cost-job-1447893297",
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