Manpower Minister Calls For Arrest Of Backers Of Tangerang Slavery

Jakarta, May 7 (Antara) - Manpower Minister Muhaimin Iskandar has asked the police to find backers of "slavery" in a factory in Tangerang, Banten. "We deplored the incident and have asked the police to uncover who have been backing the uncivilized activity. We want all the backers involved to be uncovered. They are too much and so must be punished heavily to prevent recurrence," he said when dedicating a housing facility for workers in Karawang, West Java, here on Tuesday. The minister also asked manpower services in the regions to increase supervision on companies including home industries to prevent similar cases from happening again in other places. "They must care and monitor them well by involving worker unions for possible problems," he said. To the people in general, the minister appealed to report to the authorities concerned if they heard intimidation as had happened in a cooking wares factory in Tangerang. "This is a direct order from the President to the people. Do not be afraid to report if they find cases of intimidation as the government would protect them," he said. Several people have been arrested in connection with the case of confinement of workers in a factory in Tangerang recently.