21,000 workers duped by insurers
21,000 workers duped by insurers
JAKARTA: A labor observer warned the government of an emerging
crisis from after some sort of tacit permission was granted to
three unauthorized private companies to run an insurance scheme
for workers employed overseas.
So far, the three companies have collected Rp 3.4 billion
(US$400,000) from at least 21,000 workers who paid Rp 160,000
each in premiums.
"The three companies are not included on the list of five
companies authorized by the Finance Ministry to run the insurance
plan for Indonesian workers overseas," Luthfi A. Hamdoen, also a
labor activist, said here on Thursday.
He chose not to identify the three companies, but recent
reports claimed that PT Wali Amanah was one of the three that had
been collecting premiums from workers employed in the Middle
East.
Under the Article 8 of Law No. 2/1992 on insurance, the
Finance Ministry has authorized only five insurance companies to
for the insurance program for Indonesian workers overseas. The
five are PT Asuransi Jasindo, PT Asuransi Bumi Putra Muda, PT
Asuransi Bina Griya Upakara, PT Parolamas and PT Asuransi Jiwa
Life.
"We should learn from the collapse in the past of an insurance
company which collected US$28 million in insurance, which is
mainly meant to protect the workers interests, but thousands of
workers who got into some trouble in their work place had never
received any support or compensation," said Luthfi. -- JP
;JP;MUN;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-walhi-lawsuit
Walhi files lawsuit against Japan
JP/4/Walhi
Walhi files lawsuit against Japan
JAKARTA: A Tokyo court accepted last week a lawsuit filed by
the Indonesian Forum of Environment (Walhi) on behalf of local
villagers against the Japanese government in connection with the
construction of a controversial hydropower project in the Riau
district of Koto Panjang.
Lawyer Johnson Panjaitan said on Wednesday that the court
approved the case, and said it was deemed legitimate to represent
the victims.
The court would hear the lawsuit filed by Walhi and more than
8,200 residents of 12 villages in West Sumatra and Riau provinces
representing protected elephants whose habitat was affected by
the project.
The residents and Walhi sued the Japanese government, which
they said should be held partly responsible for the project and
its negative impact on locals and the environment.
The hydropower project with a capacity of 338 megawatts was
constructed between 1990 and 1998 with financial grant from Japan
worth Rp 2.1 trillion.
Hundreds of elephants also were pushed out of their habitat in
the thousands of hectares of protected forest affected by the
project. -- JP
;JP;SPS;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-IDI-chairman
IDI elects new chairman
JP/4/IDI
IDI elects new chairman
JAKARTA: Former health minister Farid Anfasa Moeloek, was
elected as new chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association
(IDI) to replace M. Ahmad Djojosugito.
The inauguration will take place in Bukittinggi in October,
Farid told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the International
Meeting on Respiratory Care Indonesia (Respina) 2003 in Jakarta
on Thursday. --JP
The organization's main task is to supervise the practice of
all doctors across the country in their service to the public.
;;
ANPAa..r..
Scene-Kalla-Presidency
Jusuf Kalla readies for VP candidacy
JP/4/KaLla
Jusuf Kalla readies for VP candidacy
BANDAR LAMPUNG: Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare
Jusuf Kalla said on Thursday that he was ready to compete in the
Golkar Party convention series with an on the vice president's
position.
Kalla said that he would accept whatever decision made by
Golkar, including an offer for a vice presidential nomination.
"I have decided to take part in Golkar's conventions, and I
hope they nominate me for vice president," he said.
Kalla said that his decision to back away from the
presidential candidacy was proof that he served the party's
interest, rather than his own.
Kalla, soap opera actor Anwar Fuady and former justice
minister Muladi are currently in Lampung on the campaign trail.
-- Antara