Telkom GM urged to resign

BANDUNG: Angry employees of the West Java branch of state telecommunications company PT Telkom, have threatened to hold a strike beginning March 21, if the general manager of Regional Division III, Michael Lee Towne, is not replaced.

"We want the general manager to be replaced by a person who comes from PT Telkom itself. We are really ashamed of the complaints we have received from the general public, who have not received good service from PT Telkom, since Towne became general manager in September last year," spokesman for the regional division III employees, Sudjana Ruben, told reporters on Thursday.

"There has been no development in the services of PT Telkom, since this man became general manager."

Towne, who is actually from PT Ariawest International (AWI) -- the company working in collaboration with the West Java branch of PT Telkom -- was appointed as general manager by the board of directors of PT AWI.

Responding to the employees' demands, Towne said that he was ready to resign at any time if that was the wish of AWI, but has also promised the employees that he will try and develop the services of PT Telkom in the near future. (yuli/ylt)