TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Passports of 12 Chinese citizens confiscated over alleged stay permit misuse
Change Size
Enforcing the law – Mataram Immigration Office officials show passports confiscated from 12 Chinese citizens in a press conference on Wednesday. (JP/Panca Nugraha)
P
ersonnel from the Foreigner Oversight Team (Timpora) of the Mataram Immigration Office in West Nusa Tenggara have confiscated passports belonging to 12 Chinese citizens for alleged immigration violations.
The Chinese citizens were reportedly working on a dredge called Cai Jun I, which operated in Labuhan Haji waters in East Lombok, without proper permits.
“We confiscated the passports of the 12 Chinese citizens for our investigation. It is suspected that they have misused their stay permits,” Mataram Immigration Office head Romi Yudianto said Wednesday.
He said the alleged immigration violations were discovered after his office received reports on the activities of foreigners in Labuhan Haji. The Timpora personnel were dispatched to follow up on the reports.
During interrogation on board the Cai Jun I on Tuesday, the 12 Chinese citizens could only show their passports and special immigration facilitation (Dasuskim) letters.
“Dasuskim is a temporary stay permit, which allows them to carry out activities on board the vessel only. But information we received revealed they also carried out on ground pipeline installment activities. This is what has been suspected as stay permit misuse,” said Romi.
A preliminary investigation found that the Chinese citizens worked on the Cai Jun I as operators. The dredge was brought in by shipping company PT Pelayaran Sanley Surabaya for a quay dredging project in Labuhan Haji.
Romi said the passports had been confiscated as part of the immigration investigation process and as an anticipatory measure to prevent them from escaping.
According to immigration rules, a foreigner working in Indonesia must have a work visa and temporary stay permit (KITAS). They are also required to pay US$1,200 in taxes per year. (ebf)
