'TVRI' staff may boycott Gus Dur

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Some 300 employees of the state-run television station TVRI here threatened on Tuesday not to cover the visit of President Abdurrahman Wahid on Dec. 30 if the station failed to raise their holiday bonuses.

Spokesman for the protesters, Zaldi Yusuf, said that the state employees each received Rp 30,000 (US$4.20) for an Idul Fitri bonus, which is far below the one month salary stipulated by the Ministry of Manpower.

"The amount does not make sense. If the management refuses to increase it, we may resort to boycotting the President's visit," Zaldi said.

Abdurrahman is scheduled to make a year-end trip to the town on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 to attend a Koran reading and mass prayer here.

Responding to the protest, local TVRI chief Nur Syamsu Sultan said the management would raise the bonus to Rp 100,000 each to avoid a possible boycott. (27/04)