KWK ex staff want speed probe on graft

KWK ex staff want speed probe on graft

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty-three former employees and members of
transportation cooperative Koperasi Wahana Kalpika (KWK) have
criticized as too slow the probe into the alleged embezzlement of
Rp 200 million (US$29,850) by the cooperative's chairman.

Three representatives of the employees visited the Jakarta
Legal Aid Institute on Thursday to seek help in speeding up the
investigation by the East Jakarta Prosecutor's Office against the
cooperative chairman, identified as Laode Djeni Hasmar.

"Twenty of us have been questioned by the prosecutor's office
as witnesses against the suspect a few months ago. But it seems
the case will never be brought to court," said employee spokesman
Gerald Rivai Tobing.

Gerald said the prosecutor's office argued that the
investigation was difficult to pursue because Laode is still a
member of the House of Representatives (DPR) for the ruling
Golkar Party.

He said the prosecutors still appeared reluctant to bring the
case to the court, although they secured permission from the
state secretariat on March 30 to probe the suspect.

Laode allegedly committed the crime during his tenure as
chairman of the cooperative, which consists of 6,000 minivan
drivers and owners, between 1993 and 1997. He was reelected as
chairman for the 1997-2001 period.

The 33 former employees, which were dismissed in 1993 after
protesting Laode's reelection, found evidence of embezzlement, he
said.

According to Gerald, the Central Arbitration for Labor
Disputes (P4P) of the Ministry of Manpower had rejected the
dismissals, asking the company to reemploy the workers.

"But the cooperative appealed the decision. The dismissal is
still being examined by the Jakarta State Administrative High
Court." (jun)