Police seek man for cheating

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang Police are attempting to locate the whereabouts of labor exporting firm PT Bina Setia Copora chairman Chung Ta, who is wanted for allegedly bilking job seekers out of up to Rp 1 billion (US$147,058).

Tangerang Police detective chief Capt. Krisnandi said on Saturday it was better for Chung Ta, alias Hartono, to surrender or stern action would be taken against him. "We hope that Hartono surrenders soon."

Police data showed that hundreds of job seekers from Sukabumi, West Java, paid Hartono between Rp 10 million and Rp 20 million each to find them employment in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.

Wati said on Saturday her parents sold a number of their cows to pay Hartono Rp 10 million for her travel costs to Singapore.

"I cannot go back to the village and face my parents because I'm ashamed. They sold cows for me," she said. "I hope the cheater is punished heavily."

Hartono's elder brother, Anton, told the police he did not know anything about his brother's business.

"I visited him (Hartono) frequently at work, but I didn't know what my brother did for a living," Anton said. (41/ylt)