Pasar Jaya employee questions dismissal

Pasar Jaya employee questions dismissal

JAKARTA (JP): A former employee of Petojo Ilir market, in
Central Jakarta, managed by the city-owned market company PD
Pasar Jaya, questioned yesterday a decision made by the
management to dismiss him as the market's security chief.

Djanahar, a retired marine officer, who joined PD Pasar Jaya
in 1970, said that he was fired last January without prior notice
or a chance to defend himself, on allegations that he collected
illegal levies from street vendors operating in the market.

"The company never gave me notification regarding the
dismissal. I just found that the company suddenly gave me a
dismissal paper," he told The Jakarta Post.

However, according to the company, Djanahar was proven guilty
of taking levies illegally from traders at Petojo Ilir market.
Because his reckless action caused restlessness among the
traders, the company decided to dismiss him in January.

Djanahar explained that the problem began when he started to
organize the street vendors, whose operations around the market
caused traffic jams.

Apparently, he said, the street vendors did not like his
attitude because in his operations Djanahar frequently threw and
kicked away their merchandise boxes.

The traders later filed a complaint with the local garrison
command, which, in turn, summoned Djanahar to the officer to
settle the matter in November last year.

At the garrison Djanahar was told the street vendors expressed
objection about the daily, monthly and yearly fees, which he
collected from them.

"I admitted that there was a fee collection, but its rule was
created by the my predecessor and I just continued it," he said.

He said there are about 50 street vendors operating around the
market. Each trader was forced to pay a fee of Rp 50 per day, in
addition to Rp 5,000 per month and another Rp 60,000 per year.
"This payment is needed to give my subordinates additional
incomes," he said.

Whatever his arguments, last January Djanahar was fired and
that means he lost his job and main source of income.

"All I want is justice. The company should have given me a
chance to defend myself, rather than fire me directly," he said.
(yns)