Bukit Asam workers reject new board of directors
Bukit Asam workers reject new board of directors
Bahrul Ilmi Yakub, The Jakarta Post, Palembang
More than 200 workers of state-owned coal company PT Bukit Asam
held a demonstration at the South Sumatra legislative building in
Palembang on Tuesday, demanding the central government annul the
appointment of the company's new board of directors.
The workers said they would not return to their workplace
unless Minister of State-owned Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi met
their demand for the appointment of new directors to be recruited
from within the company.
"It is demeaning for the company that the minister hired
executives from other state companies to replace the company's
board of directors. We have professionals who well understand the
company's financial and labor conditions," said Iskandar Maliki,
spokesman for the workers in a meeting with the legislature.
Iskandar said the workers were aware of the company's status
as a state-owned company but that the central government should
listen to their demands in line with the implementation of
regional autonomy in the province.
"The appointment of the company's board of directors should
not be a matter of like and dislike but that of professionalism.
"We reject the appointment of Ismet Jailani, Sutrisno and
Abdullah Azis from PT Semen Padang because they are responsible
for the recent take-over of the cement factory by an angry mob.
We fear that they will also give up if local people in Tanjung
Enim take over Bukit Asam's management," he said.
Iskandar said workers have also received accurate information
about the three's poor track record during their assignment at
Semen Padang.
"We do not want our company to be a target of extortion by
corrupt officials. Bukit Asam must be managed professionally to
make it financially healthy and to protect workers' interests,"
he said, citing that the members of the board of directors were
appointed without any fit and proper test.
The new board of directors led by Ismet Jailani was installed
at the company's headquarters in Tanjung Enim, some 200
kilometers south of Palembang last week.
Nur Iswanto, chairman of Commission D on economic and state
company affairs, pledged to convey the demonstrators' aspirations
both to the governor and the state minister.
He acknowledged the demonstrators' concerns, saying it was a
new step for workers of state-owned companies to promote
professionalism and to fight against corrupt and collusive
practices.
"It is no longer a secret that most state-owned companies
cannot achieve good results because of the lack of
professionalism and the corruption and collusion within the
bureaucracy," he said, adding that privatization would be a
better alternative to make the companies more professional and
accountable.