Apartments for squatters

Apartments for squatters

JAKARTA: The city administration is to build 1,406 low-cost
apartment units worth Rp 100 billion (US$11.7 million) for
squatters living along riverbanks and in slum areas.

Jaender Sagala, head of City Housing Agency said on Monday at
City Hall that the apartments would be divided among three
locations: 539 units in Kapuk Muara, North Jakarta; 600 units in
Tipar Cakung, East Jakarta; and 267 units in Karet Tengsin,
Central Jakarta.

He said apartment units would be made available to poor people
under a monthly rental scheme.

"We will set the rent at between Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000 per
month per unit," he said.

A rental, instead of an ownership, scheme was decided upon to
prevent the commonplace practice of people reselling units for
their own profit, Jaender said.

"We expect to complete the construction of the apartments by
the end of this year." -- JP

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ANPAj..r..
Great-Tangerang-rally
Workers demand full salary
JP/8/G-RALLY

Workers demand full salary

TANGERANG: About 350 workers of PT Argo Pantes, a manufacturer
of textile products, staged a protest on Monday at the company's
factory on Jl. Thamrin, demanding their salaries, which they have
not received in full since November.

One of the protesters, Budi, said while the management had not
yet laid off workers, it had ordered them not to work anymore but
did not provide any clear reason.

"We usually receive an average of Rp 701,000 (US$82.47) per
month, but, since November, we haven't received more than Rp
120,000 per month. This is unfair and violates Law No. 13/2003 on
the dismissal of workers," he said.

The law stipulates that workers must still receive their
monthly salaries in full until dismissal has been finalized.

Another protestor claimed the management was still recruiting
contract workers to replace permanent workers.

The workers held a sit-down protest outside the factory, as
they were not allowed in to meet the management. -- JP

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Great-protest-trial
Union protests unfair trial
JP/8/GREATER

Union protests unfair trial

JAKARTA: Dozens of members of the Indonesian Seafarers Union
(KPI) staged a protest on Monday at the Central Jakarta District
Court, demanding fair trial for its chairman Hanafi Rustandi.

Sporting black vests, the protesters distributed copies of a
land certificate belonging to the union, which they said was
strong evidence to acquit the chairman.

The prosecution charged Hanafi and other KPI board members of
violating Article 167 of the Criminal Code for illegally entering
and occupying property belonging to others. The article carries a
maximum sentence of 16 months in jail.

The case was filed by the outgoing KPI central board led by
Iskandar B. Ilahude, who was ousted during the union's
extraordinary meeting in 2001. He was said to be unfit for the
post, as he concurrently held a post at the communications
ministry.

The protesters demanded that a charge be brought against
Iskandar, who they said had claimed the KPI's properties as his
own. -- JP

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ANPAj..r..
Great-camel-birth
Single-hump camel born in Ragunan
JP/8/born

Single-hump camel born in Ragunan

JAKARTA: A single-hump camel (Camelus dromedarius) calf was
born on Dec. 26 at Ragunan Zoo, South Jakarta.

According to a release made available to The Jakarta Post on
Monday, the new baby camel, Dejan, is the second offspring of cow
Oxi and bull Darwin. The mating pair's first offspring Novan,
male, was born on Nov. 1, 2001.

Ragunan's marketing and promotion head Titisari Puntorini said
the zoo now had a collection of six single-hump camels, four of
which are bulls. -- JP