In this interview we touch base with one of the TBI Bekasi victims. We ask our informant what he makes of the latest massive fee increases at TBI Bekasi Sun City and much else besides.

A student from TBI Bekasi SunCity informed us that there had been a sudden increase of around 33% in tuition fees around September last year at Binsar’s school. Students were studently paying Rp 670.000 a month for Combo classes.
How do you interpret this development?

I wouldn’t call it development, I’d call it a last resort. I think Binsar is aware that his school is up for some serious investigation soon so he thinks, ‘Might as well get what I can out of it before I run away like a coward.’ I wonder if the head office of TBI knows about this sudden increase and if so whether they gave approval? Suddenly raising prices seems a bit suspicious, but then again it is Binsar, so anything he does should be approached and confronted with nothing but suspicion.

There are a lot of indications from our sources that Binsar Simorangkir is incredibly tight and penny-pinching in the way he treats his staff and customers. What was your impression? Can you add anything on this issue?

He’s a Batak mafioso. He’s a gangster pure and simple. He’s a cruel cruel man and very tight. When anyone even mentioned money you could hear his ass cheeks clamping down and his wallet become ever so much more closed. This guy wouldn’t give anything to anyone unless is benefits him in some way, and he will step on and walk over anyone to get money. He payed the staff under what they should get, and for what they had to deal with, they should have gotten much more.

One of our Bekasi informants mentioned that there were sometimes ‘off the book’ classes involving private students or even ‘Bahasa Indonesia’ classes. Do you have any knowledge of Binsar running extra businesses or projects within the TBI premises that were not strictly TBI business?

Yes, he did it while i was at TBI. On Saturdays we had 3 business classes and none had a register or any set course plan. I think it was a case of “Throw a bule in a room and make them teach”. I think the money from these classes he took for himself. The 6 hour Saturday class payed each teacher 350.000 rupiah (that’s not per hour; that’s for the whole thing) so count the excess and that’s what he pocketed for himself without letting the head office know. We told them but they simply ignored it. He wasn’t just using us he was using them too and using the schools name to make corrupt money.

How did you respond to the news that TBI Malang had suddenly shut its doors, with TBI’s business partners terminating the contract based on claims of unethical conduct from Head Office?

It was one of those moments where you see all the haters on the forum posting “this blog will never get attention”, “nothing will ever happen” “blah blah blah” and trying to intimidate and demotivate you guys. But as always you stayed strong and because of what was leaked, a school was closed and they tried to cover it up as fast as possible but look what happened; you exposed that half-assed job of covering it up too, making them look even more stupid. The blog has no effect? The TBI Jenga Tower is wobbling ever so much now, isn’t it? People fired, contracts broken, people leaving, TBI members leaking information and now a school shut down. No effect indeed.

I’m proud of you guys. I’m also damn proud to be a part of this blog and be friends with two great men who’ve stood their ground and stayed strong to bring justice to the disgusting people who deserve to be exposed.