Antara, Jakarta – Acting Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Syafrizal Zakaria Ali, stated that five smelters involved in the tin corruption case had laid off 1,000 of their workers.
"The data on how many workers were laid off is not yet valid. However, over 1,000 workers in the five smelters are estimated to have been let go by the companies," said Syafrizal in Pangkalpinang, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
According to him, the 500 workers from internal smelters were laid off and 500 others were IUP smelters or drivers for mining products transport. The Acting Governor said the layoff was because "the company was not operating while the legal process was ongoing".
According to him, the relevant department is currently collecting the data of the laid-off workers. "Soon, we will get valid data. However, it is estimated that 1,000 workers have been laid off because the smelter is not operating as a result of the confiscation of smelter assets carried out by the AGO some time ago," he said.
The special crime department head at the Attorney's General Office Febrie Adriansyah in his release stated that his department confiscated company assets from five smelters in the form of 53 excavators and 2 bulldozers in a criminal case involving tin trading corruption in Bangka Belitung.
The five smelters are CV Venus Inti Perkasa (VIP), PT Sariwiguna Bina Sentosa (SBS), PT Stanindo Inti Perkasa (SIP), PT Tinindo Internusa (TIN) and PT Refined Bangka Tin (RBT).
"This is not done solely to stop the process of tin exploration which results in people losing their jobs, but a part of the law enforcement process which will lead to better management of tin," he said.