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