Regent to probe misuse of wages

Regent to probe misuse of wages

TANGERANG (JP): Regent Saifullah AR promised yesterday to look
into reports that a subdistrict chief had embezzled money from
the wages of laborers taking part in a government-sponsored
project.

Saifullah said he would summon Kresek subdistrict chief Bejo
Mulyono following a demonstration in which the workers accused
the official of unlawfully deducting their wages.

"We won't hesitate to take action against him if the workers'
claim is well-founded," Saifullah told journalists.

The aggrieved workers claimed that Bejo had cut their Rp 7,500
daily wage to Rp 5,000.

The workers participated in an 80-day labor intensive program
to repair irrigation ditches, drainage canals and other public
facilities. The scheme was designed to alleviate some of the
hardship the participants have suffered at the hands of the
economic crisis.

The workers alleged that the district head increased the
number of workers recruited from each village included in the
scheme from approximately 80 to 105 so that he could embezzle
more government funds.

Labor intensive projects have been implemented in 30 villages
in 17 districts throughout Tangerang.

The protesters estimate that the district head deducted Rp 1.1
million a day or Rp 6.6 billion a week from their wage packets.
(41/jun)