Two illegal workers deported

JAKARTA (JP): The government has deported two of the three foreigners illegally employed by publicly listed PT Bimantara Citra and private television station RCTI, an official said on Friday.

Zaiman Nurmatias, the director of immigration supervision and control, said that the two deported foreigners were Rowan Mark Legg from Britain and Lourdes Serafico from the Philippines.

"Rowan left the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport for Taipei on Friday by EVA Air flight No. BR 238," Zaiman said, explaining that Rowan violated Article 50 of Law No. 9/1992 on immigration.

Zaiman said Serafico departed from the airport aboard Singapore Airlines' flight No. SQ 151 to Singapore.

These two and also American Philip Pei Fan Wang were employed at the two companies without work permits, Zaiman said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

Wang was scheduled to be deported before the June 7 general election and his departure is still being arranged, Zaiman said.

Officials of the immigration directorate general began investigations into the three men on April 22. Serafico and Wang worked at PT Bimantara as marketing and technical advisers respectively, while Legg worked at RCTI as a technical adviser.

Serafico and Legg both held temporary stay permits (Kitas), while fan Weng had a stay permit (Kitap).

However, none of the three had a work permit issued by the Ministry of Manpower, Zaiman said, urging companies employing expatriates to abide by the existing regulations. (hhr)