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ACEH MINUTES] Thai and Malaysian tourists have complained that immigration officers at Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, extorted them when they entered the country.
The complaint was conveyed directly by the tourist representatives to the North Sumatra legislative council through the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction. They demanded back the money that was allegedly extorted from them by immigration officers, and that the guilty parties be processed legally.
PDI-P faction treasurer Brilian Mukhtar said the complaint against a number of immigration officers was submitted in a written letter by a tourist representative form Thailand, Amporn Vecharapo.
“We have received the tourist representative who has put the cases into chronological order in a letter, which he submitted by hand,” Brilian told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Brilian said that during the meeting, the tourists expressed their dismay at being extorted by immigration officers.
Brilain said the tourists claimed they had arrived in the country via Polonia Airport in Medan on Aug. 16 on an AirAsia flight. At the airport, immigration officers demanded money from them without any reason, they said.
“The immigration officers demanded that we hand over between Rp 300,000 [about US$35] and Rp 500,000, failing which we would face difficulties, especially in arranging immigration documents,” Vecharapo told Brilian in the meeting at the legislative office.
Vecharapo said immigration officers at Polonia Airport had extorted 41 Malaysian and Thai tourists.
Brilian said the officers’ actions were shameful and tarnished the dignity of the nation in the eyes of other countries.
He added that the legislature would follow up with the complaint by reporting it to the police for thorough investigation.
“We will meet the North Sumatra Police chief in the near future to resolve the extortion [case],” Brilian said, adding that his office had received evidence and was ready to hand it over to police.
Brilian said the tourists were also ready to testify in court and identify the immigration officers who had extorted them.
When asked for confirmation on Friday, Polonia Airport Immigration administrative affairs division head Chairil acknowledged that he had been informed of the extortion case.
However, Chairil said his office’s attempts to investigate the case had been hampered by a lack of evidence.
Chairil added that his office hoped the extortion victims would immediately report the case to the Polonia Immigration Office.
“We urge anyone who has proof of the extortion, including tourists and legislative members, to immediately hand it over to us so we can take action against the perpetrators,” Chairil said.(Thejakartapost)
