Labor broker breaks promises

PEKANBARU, Riau: Two job seekers from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, have been stranded here for nine months after their broker broke his promise to ship them to Malaysia.

M. Subagia and Murdi said they were lured by the broker's promise of good jobs in Malaysia and they paid Rp 700,000 ($300) each.

They said they left their village for Selatpanjang, a coastal village in Bengkalis, but there has been no indication that anyone will fetch and take them to Malaysia as promised.

"We have began to realize that we have been deceived. The broker has fled with our money," Murdi told Antara.

The villagers, who stay in a mosque, managed to get by thanks to the financial support from a neighborhood unit chief. (pan)