Bukit Asam again refuses to pay Adiputera's claims

Former workers of PT Bukit Asam's ex-contractor PT Adiputera Dewasa Jaya again staged a rally in front of the coal mining's headquarter office in Muara Anim, South Sumatera on Wednesday, demanding the company to settle Adiputera's claim worth Rp 5.7 billion, Palembang Pos reported on Thursday.

The workers demanded Bukit Asam to make the payment before March 2 as initially approved by the coal mining company.

Although PT Bukit Asam had suspended the contracts of works with Adiputera, the company still had the responsibility to settle Adiputera's remaining claims to the coal mining company, the workers said.

Bukit Asam cut its contract awarded to Adiputra to carry out reclamation works in February last year after the two companies could not settle their difference amicably. But when Aiputra asked the payment for the works it had done, the coal mine company refused to do so.

Bukit Asam refused to make the payment because according to a Jakarta court verdict, the claim should be transferred to Bank Universal as part of the payment of Adiputra's debts to the bank.

Bukit Asam later agreed it would pay the claims in March 2 to workers as their severance payment.

But in a meeting on Wednesday, Johan Effendi, the representative of PT Bukit Asam could not make the payment without the permission of Adiputera.

"With out the permission of PT Adiputera, PT Bukit Asam will have no rights to pay Adiputera's claims," he was quoting as saying.(*)