IPTN employee says corruption report cost job

BANDUNG (JP): An employee of the state-owned aircraft manufacturing company IPTN believes he has been sacked for blowing the whistle on alleged corruption by his superior.

Asep Rukmana, 35, who headed the company's Bandung-based bureau of technical administration, reported to the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute office in Bandung yesterday that on Wednesday he received a letter from IPTN informing him that from Monday he would no longer have a job. The notice was signed by IPTN director of general affairs Widyanarso Doeriat.

Asep had earlier claimed that the company's current assistant to the chief director, identified as GS, was involved in illegal activities in the tendering of a contract for a civil engineering project. During the tendering procedure, GS was head of budget planning.

In reporting the alleged irregularities to the government's complaint-box, P.O. Box 5000, and several ministries, Asep claimed that the corruption was costing the state over Rp 372 million (US$161,740).

The distraught employee explained that he had been called in by company officials on Tuesday and was told he had to either resign or be fired.

He refused to resign and was given notice the very next day.

"In the meeting, I was accused of tarnishing the company's good name and that of my superiors," he told reporters.

Presided over by State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, IPTN is the company which produces Indonesia's CN- 235 and CN-250 aircraft.

IPTN public relations manager MT Satoto denied that Asep was being dismissed because of his reports.

"Asep's reports are much appreciated and are being followed-up by the appropriate authorities," Satoto said, adding that the company's decision to dismiss the technical administrator was an internal matter, and one which was taken because the man was considered to have violated discipline.

Apart from the violation, Asep had also defied his superiors' order, Satoto said.

The public relations officer refused to give more details about the discipline violations that Asep was supposed to have committed. When pressed further, Satoto only told journalists to wait until Monday when the final dismissal letter is issued.

Asep strongly denied Satoto's claims, saying that in his 16 years with the company he has maintained a good record proven by the fact that his bonus was usually higher than that of his colleagues.

The father of four children said he will fight the dismissal and has solicited the help of the legal aid institute to file a suit with the State Administrative Court.

"It's not me who should be fired but those corrupt officials," said Asep.

He has also asked the legal aid foundation to help him seek protection for his family, who have become a target of intimidation by some unidentified people since he made the October report.

The director of the legal aid office, Mrs. Melani, said that it is ironic that Asep, who had good intentions in reporting corruption, is having his family terrorized and his career blocked.

Asep himself kept a brave face, saying he would not step back even under such threatening circumstances. "I still have this belief that I won't be fired," he said.(17/mds)