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strong>May 15, p9

The Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency has aired plans to launch raids on expatriates'€™ homes in Jakarta, following reports that many foreigners lack proper documents. Agency head Edison Sianturi said the agency was currently mapping residential areas to target.

'€œWe will work together with local leaders to find out where foreigners without proper documents usually reside,'€ he said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.

Your comments:

I would be very concerned about the possibility of drugs being planted during these raids, as this could then be used as a pretext for extortion by corrupt officers.

This is yet more confirmation (was any needed) that Indonesia is becoming more of a fascist, anti-foreigner country by the day.

Smashing down the doors of foreigners, Indonesian fluency tests, dragging people out of Jl. Jaksa bars for only having a photocopy of their passport, executing foreign drug mules while flipping the bird at '€œWestern imperialists'€. Ok, I get the point.

Lasem Benny

I feel that if I am legally in the country nobody has the right to come and disturb me at home, just for being a foreigner. If they get intelligence that I am doing something wrong fair enough, they are welcome. I know some foreigners do the wrong thing, but that gives no one the right to do a blanket raid on all foreigners.

For all you Indonesians who agree, how would you feel if you came to my country as a guest, and because some Muslims are terrorists (a much more serious crime than doing a little work illegally by the way) the police and immigration just turned up at your door to interrogate you?

Jakfan

If you are an expat in Indonesia, I would advise you get to know Indonesia laws; maybe ask other expats for advice and experience in sharing help.

Although I understand how you feel, for your own good, note that Indonesia has a whole bunch of weird laws that can nail you badly if you are caught on the wrong side. If you ever find yourself in court, being an expat is really a disadvantage. It is just my two cents.

Sudarshana Chakrta

I thought we were educated enough to understand the law. In most countries, if a foreigner overstays there'€™s a fine or imprisonment or just cautioning.

In Indonesia, there'€™s a fine and imprisonment. As an expat, one requires a few documents to be able to move about freely. An immigration stay permit, civil registration documents and an employment registration document.

Lacking any of these documents can land an expat in trouble as the law is clearly defined.

In some areas the law is not clear, as the immigration and manpower offices have yet to agree on certain matters when it comes to a foreigner who has a permanent stay permit and what are the dos and the don'€™ts regarding the maintenance of the permanent resident '€” meaning, can the permanent resident take up employment or be self-employed?

And can the permanent resident move freely around Indonesia?

 Ramsingha

Employment documents are generally kept by the employer, with a KITAP sponsored by an employer being available.

With a spouse-sponsored KITAP it is clear. Expats can work on a spouse-sponsored KITAP.  

This has been confirmed by several expats around Indonesia that have legally acquired both KITAP and their employer an IMTA for said expat. Furthermore, this has been confirmed by the Jakarta manpower office.

Anom

I totally disagree with the planned police raids as a method of controlling '€œoverstaying'€ visitors who come in with proper required travel documents and appropriate visas '€” we are not a police state creating ordinary citizens as part-time spies for the state.

To be effective, much of the initial control mechanisms should be administrative, placing much of the burden of '€œreporting and compliance'€ on the visitors.  

Examples of the controls are: appropriate visa approval, substantial fine for overstaying, computerized, centralized surveillance and effective follow-up on all embarkation/disembarkation reports, requiring bank deposits for selected risky visitors (discretionary only as necessary as deterrent, based on competent profiling and historical data analyses).  

Consider also an amnesty program where voluntary immediate departure is given a reduced fine and/or mandatory registration.  In sum, place the burden of compliance on the visitors to comply with clear simple administrative rules, but accompany them with grave monetary or criminal consequences for failing to comply.

James Woworoendeng

This is what failed governments do when the economy takes a downturn.

They turn to scapegoat politics and start blaming foreigners for the country'€™s economic woes.

Just look at Venezuela for example. Venezuela is harassing, charging and deporting Colombians for just standing in lines at the store to buy groceries in the capital by calling them '€œblack market profiteers'€ and hauling them off.

Venezuela is so desperate to deflect blame for failed economic policies that foreigners are the new targets now. Zimbabwe is another glaring example of scapegoating politics.

Indonesia is now the new Venezuela, since the economy in Indonesia is tanking, investors have fled, infrastructure projects have no funding and political paralysis and endemic corruption are bringing the country to a major economic crisis.

Someone has to take the blame for it all.

S Dollar

It doesn'€™t bother me that they want to ensure people have the proper documents. After all, that'€™s nothing extraordinary, now is it?

What bothers me more is that even though my paperwork is in order, I just don'€™t feel comfortable with this type of check '€” too many agencies involved, too many opportunities to make some trouble and extort some money.

Ben van Staveren

I wonder, how do foreigners with a lack of proper documents enter the country in the first place? Perhaps the immigration office should also be held responsible for allowing this to happen? Or is it yet another attempt to divert the real issue within the system?

As a foreigner in another country myself, I find that being searched, frisked or randomly asked to present documentation is always unpleasant if not offensive, unless the situation requires you to do so (airport, mandatory check points and the like). But again, our beloved country always has its '€˜unique'€™ way.

Itsbad