Batam Immigration admits extortion of tourists from Singapore, officer withdrawn from service

Mr Ujo said he was disappointed and ashamed by the case and said all officials involved would be severely punished. “This is a single operator and not an organisational policy. I am very disappointed and angry,” he said. “We have previously disciplined dozens of officers and we will continue to do so.”

He said that Immigration and Corrections Ministry employees who violated the code of ethics would be sent for a month-long “special development process” on Nusakambangan Island, off Cilacap, Central Java, known for its maximum-security prisons, reserved for high-risk inmates.

“An internal investigation is currently ongoing to find evidence, while the code of ethics punishment has begun,” Mr Ujo said. “We are also open to referring the case to the police to investigate corruption.”

He added that his office had used diplomatic channels to urge mothership.sg to provide a response. Diplomatic channels were taken because a direct message for clarification to the media outlet, which first reported the case that went viral, was not answered.

“We have contacted the media through the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore and immigration attache to clarify the report,” he said. “The report must be clear, don’t just use initials. It was difficult for us to uncover the details of the case.”

Mr Hajar said the Batam Immigration Office had taken several preventive measures since March 26, the day after the report went viral.

“We have tightened access to sterile areas and coordinated with port management to ensure only authorised people enter the immigration area,” he said. “Guests and brokers are no longer allowed to enter without official name tags.”

Mr Hajar also said his office had halted inspections behind closed doors. “Except in cases of suspected fake passports, fake visas or fake stay permits, all immigration inspections are now conducted at open counters together with other passengers,” he said.

Responding to allegations of a secret room to negotiate fees, Mr Hajar said that in-depth inspections were usually conducted in rooms for foreigners who did not have return tickets, in accordance with international regulations and this is what triggered the inspection for NAY.

However, Mr. Hajar said he ordered the practice to stop on March 26 to prevent any abuse of authority.

“I’ve told my officers that inspections behind closed doors are only for suspected holders of fake passports, visas or stay permits,” he said. “Other than that, inspections are no longer to be conducted inside closed rooms.”

Batam Immigration Office has coordinated with the immigration attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore to reach out to the victim.

“NAY is a victim, he was not wrong. We hope he can come here to provide a statement,” Mr Hajar said. “If there are material losses, we will attempt to refund them.”

Meanwhile, Mr Washington said the investigation had received special attention from Immigration and Corrections Minister Agus Andrianto and acting Immigration director general Yuldi Yusman. Relevant punishments are mandated according to government regulations on civil service discipline.

“Disciplinary punishment can be as serious as dismissal. If there is enough evidence and witnesses, we can refer the case to the police for alleged extortion and corruption,” Mr Washington said.

The immigration office has also tightened supervision in service areas by providing a complaint channel through a barcode directly connected to the Internal Compliance Directorate in Jakarta. The public and tourists are advised to file reports if they encounter illegal levies or unprofessional conduct in the field. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK