Newspaper workers file complaint

JAKARTA (JP): About 20 workers and journalists of The Indonesia Times English daily, which ceased publication in January, went to the National Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday to complain about their status of employment.

The workers' spokesman, Jacob Sofyan, said about 100 workers of the daily were unclear about their status since the newspaper stopped publishing.

"We have not been paid since March," Sofyan, who is also chairman of the daily's workers cooperative, said, urging the commission to help settle the problem.

He said the workers had frequently asked the management of PT Marga Pers Mandiri, which published the newspaper, to clarify the matter but they had received no satisfactory explanation.

"We ask for severance pay according to the regulation if the company wants to dismiss us. If the firm doesn't have any funds, the company's assets could be sold and the proceeds given to the workers," he said.

He said the company was 31 percent owned by the Golkar's executive board, 30 percent by Yayasan Abdi Bangsa, the publisher of Republika daily, 20 percent by the workers, 6 percent by the workers cooperative of the Ministry of Information and the remaining 13 percent by two individuals, SK. Wibowo and Djamal Ali.

Commission members Soegiri and M. Salim told the workers that they would send letters to Golkar and the company's president Ary Marjono to ask for clarification. (jun)