Protesters storm Kaligis law office<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 500 former employees of a bankrupt shoe
\ncompany in Bekasi stormed and vandalized the office of O.C.
\nKaligis & Associates law firm on Jl. Majapahit in Central Jakarta
\non Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
No injuries were reported in the incident, but glass windows
\nand doors in the office were shattered. At least one man, whose
\nidentity is being withheld, was detained by police for his
\nalleged role in the attack.<\/p>\n
According to Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Timur
\nPradopo, the workers were angry because the lawsuit they filed
\nagainst the majority shareholder of their former company, PT Kong
\nTai Indonesia, demanding more severance pay was dismissed
\nrecently by the courts.<\/p>\n
The courts ruled in favor of the Hong Kong-Indonesian firm
\nwhich produces Reebok sports shoes. The majority shareholder of
\nthe firm, Patrick Tang of Hong Kong, was defended by Kaligis
\nduring the trial.<\/p>\n
\"This is why they are angry,\" Timur said.<\/p>\n
After vandalizing the office, the former employees demanded
\nKaligis resign as lawyer for the Hong Kong-based company, which
\nowned 80 percent of the bankrupt company. The other 20 percent
\nwas owned by Indonesian George Sangkono.<\/p>\n
According to some of the protesters, once O.C. Kaligis began
\nrepresenting Patrick Tang, the firm's internal regulations on
\nseverance pay changed drastically.<\/p>\n
\"In the past, the company's management and the employees
\nagreed to set severance pay at four times our monthly salaries.<\/p>\n
\"Once Kaligis came it changed to only two times our monthly
\nsalaries,\" a protester said.<\/p>\n
The company went bankrupt on Oct. 1 this year, he added.<\/p>\n
He said O.C. Kaligis convinced Patrick Tang to lower the
\namount of severance pay given to dismissed employees.<\/p>\n
\"This is very depressing for us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another worker, however, said the former employees were
\nprovoked to attack the building by unidentified people who joined
\nthe protest.<\/p>\n
\"We just followed them because we're very upset,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kaligis could not be reached for comment, but sources said the
\nlawyer was able to flee his office.<\/p>\n
Kaligis told a local television station he would \"fight to the
\ndeath\" to defend his client and that no one would be able to
\ndeter him. (01\/ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protesters-storm-kaligis-law-office-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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