RI workers go beserk after being stranded in Malaysia
<p>RI workers go beserk after being stranded in Malaysia</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): Almost 1,800 Indonesian illegal workers stranded
for a week at a Johor Baru port in Malaysia ran amok on Sunday
and broke the windows of a construction office and other office
equipment.</p><p>Antara reported that the 1,780 workers at the Pasir Gudang
seaport were angry that a Malaysian travel agent, Mekar Jingga
Tetanik, broke its promise to transport them home early last
week.</p><p>"They pledged to send us back home on the luxurious ship
Tanjung Oisina but the travel agent which arranged the
transportation with the Armed Forces Foundation (Yamabi) failed
to keep its promise," an unidentified worker said.</p><p>He said he and most of the illegal workers had waited at the
seaport for seven days but no effort was made to transport them
to Indonesia. Some workers were with their families.</p><p>Bachrum Subardjo, the labor attache in Indonesia's Johar Baru
consulate, said he failed to persuade the workers not to take
taking destructive action because they had lost their patience
over the travel agency's lies and poor service during their stay
at the seaport.</p><p>Antara reported that the travel agency had canceled its
contract with Indonesia's Armed Forces Foundation which operated
the ship.</p><p>The workers are the last batch of the 160,000 Malaysia wants
deported to Indonesia for entering the country illegally.</p><p>They were allowed to return without punishment after the
government announced an amnesty for them on its recent
Independence Day. Malaysia extended the grace period until Oct.
31, 1999, in an effort to give all illegal foreign workers time
to apply.</p><p>Bachrum said the travel agent "should be blacklisted for
disappointing the prospective passengers".</p><p>"This has led them to damage the building where the travel
agency has office," he said.</p><p>He added that besides breaking the glass, the workers also
damaged computers and a ticketing office.</p><p>He said the travel ageny should be held responsible for the
workers' actions after transporting them to Indonesia.</p><p>Antara reported that the travel agent had signed a new
contract with another shipping company in Malaysia to transport
the workers.</p><p>Bachrum said that he had made a contact with the travel agency
and the latter promised to transport the workers home on a new
ship.</p><p>"According to the travel agent, the workers are scheduled to
be transported on a new ship this (Sunday) evening," he said.</p><p>The workers have paid the travel agency between 280 ringgit
and 300 ringgit for the one-way trip. (rms)</p>
for a week at a Johor Baru port in Malaysia ran amok on Sunday
and broke the windows of a construction office and other office
equipment.</p><p>Antara reported that the 1,780 workers at the Pasir Gudang
seaport were angry that a Malaysian travel agent, Mekar Jingga
Tetanik, broke its promise to transport them home early last
week.</p><p>"They pledged to send us back home on the luxurious ship
Tanjung Oisina but the travel agent which arranged the
transportation with the Armed Forces Foundation (Yamabi) failed
to keep its promise," an unidentified worker said.</p><p>He said he and most of the illegal workers had waited at the
seaport for seven days but no effort was made to transport them
to Indonesia. Some workers were with their families.</p><p>Bachrum Subardjo, the labor attache in Indonesia's Johar Baru
consulate, said he failed to persuade the workers not to take
taking destructive action because they had lost their patience
over the travel agency's lies and poor service during their stay
at the seaport.</p><p>Antara reported that the travel agency had canceled its
contract with Indonesia's Armed Forces Foundation which operated
the ship.</p><p>The workers are the last batch of the 160,000 Malaysia wants
deported to Indonesia for entering the country illegally.</p><p>They were allowed to return without punishment after the
government announced an amnesty for them on its recent
Independence Day. Malaysia extended the grace period until Oct.
31, 1999, in an effort to give all illegal foreign workers time
to apply.</p><p>Bachrum said the travel agent "should be blacklisted for
disappointing the prospective passengers".</p><p>"This has led them to damage the building where the travel
agency has office," he said.</p><p>He added that besides breaking the glass, the workers also
damaged computers and a ticketing office.</p><p>He said the travel ageny should be held responsible for the
workers' actions after transporting them to Indonesia.</p><p>Antara reported that the travel agent had signed a new
contract with another shipping company in Malaysia to transport
the workers.</p><p>Bachrum said that he had made a contact with the travel agency
and the latter promised to transport the workers home on a new
ship.</p><p>"According to the travel agent, the workers are scheduled to
be transported on a new ship this (Sunday) evening," he said.</p><p>The workers have paid the travel agency between 280 ringgit
and 300 ringgit for the one-way trip. (rms)</p>