Businessmen Urged To Refuse Illegal Levies

Jakarta, Nov 30 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged businessmen to report if they are forced to pay illegal levies, if necessary, to him. "I heard illegal levies still continue to reduce their capacity to increase the wage of workers. Companies who are illegally levied may report directly to my office at 9949 at anytime for 24 hours," the president said at a meeting with provincial governors, district heads, city mayors and regional police and military command chiefs from across the country here on Friday. He hoped by opening economic bottlenecks economic cost would be reduced and companies` capacity to improve the welfare of their workers would be increased. "If the efforts were taken all would benefit. I have said that in the years to come the wage of the workers would increase but there must never be any sweeping and use of force done because if sweeping and use of force continue to happen companies would not be able to develop themselves," he said. During recent demonstrations some workers had forced and conducted a sweep on workers who were unwilling to join with them in the locations of their companies. The President said the government`s labor policy was clear namely to assure that workers get reasonable pay and fair treatment. He said "the wage and welfare of the workers must continue to be better and it is our moral obligation to deliver it. The era of cheap labor and unfair treatment is over." Yudhoyono said to deal with the issue workers and businessmen must sit together to find an agreement. "Please discuss it well, through the bipartite forum of workers and employers," he added. The head of state meanwhile called on employers to meet the workers` demand so long as it is reasonable based on the actual conditions of their companies. Workers on the other hand, he said, must demonstrate their good work ethics . "Workers must be discipline, productive and must never carry out sweeping or disrupt company operations. The acts are illegal and it is the task of the police to prevent them," he said. President Yudhoyono called on companies that could not pay the new wage to ask for government help to settle the problem. "If they have difficulty discuss it with the government which must respond it well with regard to finding the best and fair solution for the workers as well as the companies," he said. He said "the national economy is continuously developed for the interests of all."