World Cup job ad misleads Indonesian job seekers

World Cup job ad misleads Indonesian job seekers

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Who could resist an offer to watch the upcoming World Cup in
Japan and earn money at the same time?

Certainly not job seekers, who were impressed by classified
advertisements offering jobs for Indonesians as cleaning service
workers during the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, which was
scheduled to be held in May.

The advertisement by labor recruitment agency PT Panca Abadi
Jaya had lured more than 300 job seekers. It said that each
worker, who would be hired for six months beginning March 1,
would be paid 1,200 yen (US$9.02) per hour.

Atmo, one of the job seekers, who had never worked abroad
before, admitted he applied for the job since he wanted to earn
more money.

"But it's not only about the money. I also expected to watch
the World Cup," said Atmo, who claimed to be a soccer fan.

Atmo sent an application letter to the company in January,
which is located on Jl. Poltangan in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.
Panca Abadi Jaya sent a reply stating that Atmo must bring some
US$3,000 to cover his airfare to Japan and to arrange the
necessary documents.

To make sure about his luck, Atmo visited several well-known
psychics in his hometown in Surakarta, Central Java. All of them
said that he would soon step foot in Japan. Their positive
forecasts convinced Atmo to apply for the job.

Atmo, who is unemployed, visited the company earlier last
month after borrowing money from relatives.

The other job seekers claimed they had to pawn their houses in
the hope they would be able to pay it back after working in
Japan.

After signing a contract, they paid the money to the company
which claimed it would fly them to Japan on Feb. 20.

The job seekers, however, had to bury their hopes as the
company failed to fly them to Japan. The company owners, Josua
Kristoper Massie and Yoes Rosiana, absconded with the job seekers
money.

On Monday, 284 people filed a report against the company for
fraud with the South Jakarta District Police.

A day later, 46 job seekers handed over one of PT Panca's
employees, Tiurma Purnama Sinambela, to the Central Jakarta
Police.

Tiurma could evade her responsibility as on Feb. 17, some job
seekers gathered at her house in the Cempaka Putih area in
Central Jakarta.

According to Central Jakarta Police intelligence chief Comr.
A.R. Yoyol, the suspect admitted Yoes had asked her to find some
workers to be sent to Japan.

Tiurma was able to gather 40 people who agreed to pay $3,000
each. She took $1,000 for herself and gave the rest to Josua.
She then handed $500 to Yoes.

Since the cancellation, the suspects had paid Rp 4 million
back to some job seekers.

Police is still looking for the suspects, who are currently at
large.

Atmo said that he was embarrassed by the case; so were several
job seekers from Cilacap, Central Java, as they had left the town
with a ceremony, which was attended by the regent.

"I don't know what to do. How will I explain to everyone?,"
said Atmo, who did not know how he would be able to pay back the
money he had borrowed from his relatives.