Govt wants returning workers to use Damri bus
Govt wants returning workers to use Damri bus
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Manpower is urging Indonesian
workers returning from work assignments abroad, especially women,
to use a special bus fleet provided by the state transportation
company PT Damri.
The ministry's spokesman, Fachri Thaharuddin, said that the
ministry supported Damri's initiative to arrange the special
transportation because it would help the ministry protect the
workers from notorious extortionists who used to prey on them at
the Seokarno-Hatta airport.
"The existence of the special transport is beneficial to
workers because the fares set by Damri are usually lower than
that of the charges collected by similar transportation
companies," Fachri said.
Fachri was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday that the
existence of the special fleet is also useful for workers because
they can claim compensation from the company if they are extorted
by opportunists during travel from the airport to the hometowns.
Director General of Air Transportation Zaenuddin Sikado said
earlier that the directorate general had asked Damri to arrange
special transportation for workers returning from their
work assignments abroad with a maximum fares of Rp 500,000 per
bus.
"If there are 10 workers using the bus they can share it and
pay only Rp 50,000 per person," Fachri said.
Tens of workers returning from their work assignments
overseas, especially women, have complained about the operation
of opportunists at the airport who used to extort them.
The opportunists reportedly forced the workers to take buses
they had arranged and ordered them to pay between Rp 200,00 and
Rp 300,000 per person for a trip to Central Java.
PJTKI
A division head of the Indonesian Manpower Supply Companies
(PJTKI), Idrus Shech Abubakar, concurred with Fachri about
Damri's initiative to provide a special armada for the workers.
"The existence of Damri's armada is also helpful for members
of PJTKI which lacks a special transportation fleet," Abubakar
said.
PJTKI is an association of manpower placement agencies
responsible for sending the workers abroad.
But Abubakar said that the airport authority and the Manpower
Ministry should not relax their operation against extortionists
who operate at the airport because Damri are only responsible for
the safety of workers while traveling.
Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief, accompanied by Jakarta
Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono, Director General of
Immigration Roni Sikap Sinuraya and City Police Deputy Chief of
Staff Brig. Gen. Ismet Ibrahim, inspected Soekarno-Hatta airport
last week, but saw none of the extortionists operating there as
they had reportedly stopped their operations.
During the inspection, Hendropriyono announced that the
authorities had detained 30 people, four of whom were military
officers, for hassling workers at the airport and promised that
the suspects would be tried according to law.
The two-star general, popularly known as Hendro, also said
that the Jakarta Military Command had deployed 250 military and
50 police officers to crack down on opportunists robbing workers
at the international airport.
In order to escape the extortionists, Jakarta city counselors
have also encouraged workers to travel "cash-light". (has)