The claim by 90 Indonesian workers of being shortchanged by their employer cannot be classified as 'false' until a full investigation is done, said Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia H. Rusdiharjo.

He told malaysiakini this last night when quizzed on Utusan Malaysia 's front-page report yesterday which quoted him as saying that the workers had made a baseless allegation.

However, Rusdiharjo said he made that remark based on the initial findings of the immigration department.

"It's just a finding based on an initial investigation. It's not final....It might not be 100 percent true. We are still waiting for more proof to come to a final conclusion," he said when met at the embassy last night.

The Utusan Malaysia report also quoted Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn as saying that Sri Mega Jaya Sdn Bhd, the company accused by the workers of cheating them, had actually paid the wages amounting to RM500,000 to an intermediary.

According to the minister, the intermediary, who is also believed to be an illegal immigrant, had fled with the money.

"There's no issue. Sri Mega Jaya already paid the wages to a subcontractor who hired the workers. The issue now is the subcontractor has since run off with the money," he had said.

Responding to this, the ambassador said he believed that Fong had also commented on the issue based on the initial findings.

This morning, the 90 workers had filed a police report against the minister and accused him of making a statement without facts. They also claimed to be in the dark of the existence of an 'intermediary'.

The Indonesians were working at a construction site in Damansara Damai, Selangor. The main contractor of the project is Plato Construction which is owned by MK Land Holdings Bhd.

The workers have also sent a letter to MK Land, urging its chief operations officer Mustafa Kamal Abu Bakar to look into the matter.

Last Monday, local workers support group, the Labour Resource Centre, filed a police report against Mustafa for the alleged hiring and non-payment of wages to the illegal workers.

Meeting called

Meanwhile, the Indonesian embassy had called for a meeting with the 90 workers' leaders yesterday.

Indonesian non-government organisation Migrant Care coordinator in Malaysia Alex Ong who was present said embassy officials had recorded details from the workers..

"They also asked me whether there are any good lawyers who can deal with the case," he added when contacted.

However, the embassy's labour attache Abdul Malik, who chaired the meeting, was tightlipped about what had transpired at the meeting.

"I don't have the authority to say anything. I am just doing my work to collect data and information," he said when met yesterday.

On the other hand, Rusdiharjo said the embassy has received more complaints of non-payment of wages from other Indonesian workers.