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)