Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi said Thursday he asked for the minister’s guidelines about how to deal with the “social problems caused by the immigrants” in Batam. He said the high number of unsupervised immigrants living in public facilities had given Batam a negative image.

“We are asking for the immigrants to be removed from Batam,” Rudi said. “We want Batam’s reputation as an investment destination to be maintained.”

Batam Immigration Office recorded 362 immigrants in Batam, 280 of whom live at Kolekta Hotel and 61 at the Immigration Office Detention Center. The immigrants’ cost of living is funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

There are also 82 immigrants living at Aspirasi Park in Batam. They are from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Ethiopia. The municipality said the immigrants have made the park “dirty”.

Batam municipality spokesperson Ardiwinata said the number of immigrants in the park had increased every week.

“There is no supervision of them. This is dangerous. The central government has to consider the local wisdom when they decide to accommodate immigrants,” he said.

Recently the Immigration Office arrested several male immigrants suspected of soliciting themselves. (evi)

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