Every citizen can easily go abroad<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An official from the Ministry of Justice said
\nyesterday that Indonesian citizens who hold regular (green)
\npassports are free to go wherever they like.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian citizens with ordinary passports can go to every
\ncountry if the embassy of the country he intends to enter permits
\nhim to pay a visit and he is not included on the list of people
\nbanned to leave Indonesia.\" Roni Sikap Sinuraya, Director General
\nof Immigration, the Ministry of Justice told the Jakarta Post and
\nthe Kompas daily.<\/p>\n
He said if an Indonesian is in London and wants to go to Saudi
\nArabia as a haj pilgrim, he can go to the Saudi Embassy in
\nBritain for a visa. If the embassy gives him the visa, he can go
\nto Mecca.<\/p>\n
The official made the comments following questions raised
\nrecently over the 4,000 Indonesians going to Mecca from Indonesia
\nand 10,000 others from Singapore with regular passports and not
\nthe special haj passport as commonly required.<\/p>\n
Roni denied that 4,000 Indonesians are going to Mecca with
\nregular passports and wanted to know where the number comes from.<\/p>\n
\"I have checked with the Saudi Embassy here which confirmed
\nthat here are only 32 Indonesians using the green passport,\"
\nRoni said.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the number of haj pilgrims from Indonesia does not
\nexceed our quota-- 160,000 persons-- the Saudi Kingdom permits us
\nto send them all.\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said even if it was true that 4,000 Indonesians using the
\nregular passport, the Directorate General of Immigration can not
\nprevent them from a religious service.<\/p>\n
Roni said Indonesians could make the haj pilgrimage either
\nwith the Green passport or the haj passport.<\/p>\n
Roni said the Green passport is for those who want to go to
\nother countries after fulfilling their haj pilgrimage, while the
\nhaj passport is for those who only go to Saudi Arabia for the
\nservice and immediately return back to Indonesia at pilgrimage's
\nend.<\/p>\n
The official said many Indonesians prefer going to Mecca
\nthrough Singapore since it is cheaper than through Indonesia.(02)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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