Sailor-recruit firm probed

Sailor-recruit firm probed

JAKARTA (JP): Police are questioning executives of a private
firm for allegedly cheating dozens of job seekers.

"We're still investigating this case," said Lt. Col. Gorries
Mere, head of the General Affairs Unit of the Crime Investigation
Directorate at City Police headquarters.

Mere said on Wednesday that police have questioned executives
of PT Greco Dewi Sakti (GDS), an East Jakarta based manpower
placement agency, in connection with the case.

Eighteen job seekers who claim to represent 40 people took
their case to City Police headquarters on Tuesday because PT GDS
had failed to fulfill its promise of securing jobs for them as
sailors after charging them a fee of Rp 1.2 million (US$550)
each.

According to the job seekers, PT GDS had placed advertisements
in a number of provincial newspapers.

The job applicants, coming from several areas in Java and
Sumatera, told reporters that they paid Rp 50 million to
executives of the company whose office is located in Pondok
Bambu, East Jakarta.

"They promised to employ us as seamen in Korea a few months
ago but up now there is no indication as to when we will get the
jobs," said Hasanudin, one of the job applicants who hails from
North Sumatra.

"We are interested in the offer because the firm promised to
pay a salary of $1,200 per month," Hasanudin said.

None of the firm's executives could be reached for comment.
(bsr)