Two 'boss-nappers' arrested

BATAM, Riau: Batam Police named on Tuesday two workers of PT Sindo Bintan Precast suspects for holding their foreign bosses hostage for 42 hours on the neighboring island of Bintan.

Kah Sag, 28, and Rah Ray, 30, were charged with restricting other people's freedom and illegal possession of sharp weapons after they and some other 80 workers barred Lee Tien Kheh of Malaysia and Tej Kumar Limbu, Ronald Goh Yong Kiang and Tan Khang Hua of Singapore from leaving their office on Friday.

Also held captive were Indonesian administration staff Norman, Mei Lie, Mudianto and Andi Mariyono.

The captives were released on Sunday after around 50 police intervened.

The move was sparked by the Singaporean construction and building materials company's decision to lay off the workers without adequate severance pay. The

In his response, chairman of the local chapter of Association of Indonesian Employers (Apindo), Rudy Chua, expressed his regret of the incident which he said would further defame ruin Indonesia's credibility among foreign investors.

Bintan lies about 40 kilometers southeast of Singapore.

Violence erupted on the island two years ago when local villagers armed with spears and machetes protested over unfair land deals they said they were forced to make with Singapore developers. More than a dozen people were injured. -- JP