JP\/7\/LETS97<\/p>\n
Restless Bali<\/p>\n
All this started on Dec. 11, 2002, when returning to Jakarta
\nafter celebrating Idul Fitri with my family in Malang, East Java,
\nI visited Bali for a couple of days and decided to take a railway
\ntrip by executive class Mutiara Timur to see East Java's scenery.<\/p>\n
Arriving at the Gilimanuk port, a team of mobile brigade
\npolicemen checked the identity of every passenger of the bus
\nowned by Perumka (state-owned railway company). Since all
\npassengers were able to show their identity card (KTP), the
\nofficers allowed the bus to continue to Denpasar.<\/p>\n
At the Ubud bus station all passengers were again requested to
\nshow their identity cards by a team of city security officers.
\nThen, one by one the names of passengers were called and recorded
\nin a book. We were then requested to ride in a vehicle owned by
\nlaw and order officers (tramtib) to their office in Kreneng, just
\nlike a bunch of criminals.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 12 we found ourselves in a kind of temporary detention
\nfrom 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. inside the compound of the tramtib
\noffice without any explanation.<\/p>\n
At 1 a.m., a team of tramtib officers once again called the
\npassenger's name one by one and returned the identification
\ncards. Then, all the passengers were requested to enter a bus
\nwhich took them to back to Gilimanuk and finally to Java. This
\ncontradicts the report in Radar Bali, Dec. 13, which stated that
\nthe operation was aimed at visitors without ID cards.<\/p>\n
I made a special consideration not to join the bus back to
\nGilimanuk, but to Ngurah Rai Airport, arguing that I wanted to
\nreturned to Jakarta. Thank God, the tramtib officers let me take
\na taxi. But instead I stayed in Bali as planned and returned back
\nto Jakarta by Garuda Indonesia on Dec. 14.<\/p>\n
If Bali provincial authorities wanted to limit \"immigrants\"
\nfrom Java who are suspected to be a burden for Bali, why not stop
\nthem in Ketapang or Gilimanuk? The provincial administration can
\nopen a \"check-point\" to distribute forms to be filled by visitors
\nwho want to enter Bali.<\/p>\n
And, after checking the forms, officials can issue an
\n\"entrance permit\" or otherwise \"deportation\". But this should be
\ndone carefully. Among the unwanted visitors, there are domestic
\ntourists like myself and possibly low income Indonesian citizens
\nwho just need to pass Bali and stop in Lombok to meet their
\nfamilies, only because air transport is beyond their means. Do
\nthey also deserve \"deportation\"?<\/p>\n
We understand the attitude of the law and order officers after
\nthe explosions in Bali. But, I think it is necessary for the
\nprovincial administration to take a more civilized measure in
\nhandling domestic visitors, particularly those who enter by land
\ntransportation.<\/p>\n
SLAMET ABADI
\nWest Jakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp7lets97-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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