Chinese Bidara Residents Were Asked To Help Build Infiltration Wells Last December, But Payments Have Not Been Disbursed Until The Beginning Of The Year

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - A number of residents of RT 11/RW 16, Bidara Cina Village, Jatinegara District, East Jakarta, admitted that they had not received payment after being hired to complete the infiltration well project at that location.

One of the residents, Ari (38), said that he was hired to continue the construction of the infiltration well which had been abandoned by a contractor partner of the DKI Jakarta Water Resources Service (SDA).

"Anyway, around mid-December last year. At that time, there were no workers at the location," Ari said in Jakarta, Tuesday, January 4, quoted from Antara.

Ari said his other colleagues, Hidayat (59), and Fuadin were also offered the job of completing the infiltration well by a project foreman.

He said that he and his colleagues were asked to work as casual laborers to dig infiltration wells and put the excavated soil into sacks on a wholesale basis.

"It just so happened that at that time we were unemployed, we were offered a job. For one hole, the calculation was Rp. 80,000, the same as carrying land for Rp. 1,500 per sack, working in wholesale. Yes, I will," said Ari.

Ari said that the work agreement was made without the knowledge of the local RT/RW apparatus, Bidara Cina Village, Jatinegara District, DKI Jakarta Water Resources (SDA) Service, and there was no evidence of an official agreement.

However, they stated that many residents around the infiltration well project site witnessed their work.

"There are indeed three infiltration wells behind this flat, but we only worked on two holes. Because one hole was done by the foreman workers themselves," he said.

Ari said that at first the foreman who hired him gave the three food allowances of Rp. 150,000.

However, after the three finished working on the hole and put the dug wells into 70 sacks, the promised payment was not paid.

"The total for the three of them is around IDR 700 thousand which has not been paid. On the third day of work I asked when he was paid. Finally he (the foreman) left, saying he wanted to take the money but didn't come back," said Ari.

Meanwhile, Hidayat said that he and two of his colleagues had been trying to contact the foreman who employed them. But until now their wages for two working days have not been paid.

"This is also the one behind the Flats that has just been completed, not even two weeks. We had time to work behind the same Flats at RPTRA (Jalan) Berlian. But until now we have not been paid," said Hidayat.

Responding to this, the Village Head of Bidara Cina, Dadang Yudi, said that he could not confirm the truth of Ari and Hidayat's statement because the infiltration well project did not involve the Kelurahan.

"Sorry, please ask the contractor. Because it has nothing to do with the Kelurahan. Coordinate with the Natural Resources Service," said Dadang.