Ex-bank workers threaten to reveal misdeeds April 20
Ex-bank workers threaten to reveal misdeeds April 20
JAKARTA (JP): Laid-off bank workers have threatened to
disclose on April 20 acts of graft and malfeasance allegedly
committed by their former employers, central bank officials and
other state officials unless their demands are met.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a spokesman for the former
bank employees insisted on Saturday that the crimes would be
revealed during a huge gathering, which would be attended by
thousands of former bank employees, at the Senayan sports hall in
Central Jakarta.
"We'll invite students, noted figures and government officials
to hear the data we have compiled," the reliable source told The
Jakarta Post.
He added that documentation would be handed over to the
Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) so it could take
action, especially considering the material losses inflicted on
the state due to the alleged crimes.
The source, however, refused to estimate total state losses
caused by the alleged crimes or give examples of the purported
offenses.
The workers were dismissed last month by their employers
following a massive government cleanup of bad banks.
A total 17,000 male and female bank employees were laid off
when the government closed 38 banks, including three owned by
former president Soeharto's two sons and a daughter, on March 13.
Another bank source said last week that after the announcement
of the closures, many employees spent two days and nights at
their respective workplaces to copy documents on the alleged
crimes in case their employers refused to give fair severance
pay.
The dismissed bank employees recently held a series of rallies
to demand that bank owners pay them severance pay amounting to at
least 10 times the value of that stated in existing rules.
Their latest rallies were staged on Friday in front of the
Bank Indonesia (the central bank) building complex in Central
Jakarta and at the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA)
office in the Wisma Bank Danamon building in South Jakarta.
After a deadlock meeting with executives of IBRA, the group of
some 1,000 protesters vowed to take to the streets on Monday to
press their request unless the government-sponsored agency could
disclose the final amount offered by either the agency or the
bank owners for the ex-bank workers.
During Friday's meeting, IBRA chief Glenn Yusuf said the final
decision would be announced next Thursday.
But according to the source, Glenn would fail to keep his
promise because IBRA would not hold a meeting with owners of the
liquidated banks until next Saturday evening.
"The meeting will still be about our pesangon (severance
pay)," he said on Saturday.
Prior to a huge gathering at Senayan on Sunday, the displaced
bank workers, with the support of colleagues from other provinces
who just arrived in the capital, will hold other massive rallies
in the city on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"Our fellow bank employees from the other provinces have been
sent here by their friends to directly meet IBRA executives to
discuss the same issue," he said.
The source, however, could not guarantee that documentation of
the alleged crimes would be released to the public should their
demands be fulfilled.
"We first need to consolidate among us," he said.
During Friday's rallies, a sales representative for an
American food supplement walked among the protesting bank
workers, distributing tiny papers inviting the dismissed workers
to join the ranks of his company's representatives.
"I know you're (bank employees) in trouble, why I don't give
you some help," Oliver said.
He offered a monthly income of between Rp 2 million to Rp 6
million to those interested in selling the products.
"You just have to meet me, pay a Rp 297,000 registration fee
and you'll get kits for starting your own trade business," he
said, adding that those who met the prerequisites would get
discounts for all products offered.
Contacted on Saturday, Oliver refused to say how many
dismissed bank workers had joined his business. (emf)