Residents complain over high cost passport process<\/p>\n
BOGOR (JP): Most Indonesians still prefer to use a shortcut to
\nrealize their purpose, no matter how costly it is.<\/p>\n
The scurrilous way, however, affects others who cannot afford
\nto pay for such practices.<\/p>\n
Two Panojer villagers from Sukaluyu district, Cianjur regency,
\nwho are seeking job opportunities overseas, express their grief
\nrecently after they were forced by brokers hanging around the
\nBogor Immigration Office to pay Rp 650,000 -- instead of the
\nofficial rate of Rp 110,00 -- for a speedy passport process.<\/p>\n
\"Upon our arrival at the office's gate, a broker was already
\nblocking our way and said: 'do you want to take the toll road or
\nthe normal route (to obtain your passport)?',\" said Dedi, who
\nwanted to leave for Brunei.<\/p>\n
The broker, he said, assured them that his rate could produce
\npassports in one day, compared to the official way, which would
\ngive applicants' a headache due to complicated procedures.<\/p>\n
\"At first, we objected to his price because the legal fee
\nwritten on the announcement board of the office is only Rp
\n110,000,\" Dedi said.<\/p>\n
But usually the procedure for obtaining a passport using the
\nofficial rate takes a long time and is complicated, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It could even take a week.<\/p>\n
\"Our fellow villagers also prefer to choose the brokers'
\nservice, and they can get their passports on the same day,\" Dedi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the illicit procedures, head of the
\nimmigration office's supervision unit, Muhammad Yusron, blamed
\nthe villagers for using the brokers.<\/p>\n
\"Well, it's their own fault if they choose the brokers'
\nservice and have to pay a lot. They must be fooled,\" he said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
He said that through an announcement on the office notice
\nboard, his office has urged applicants to avoid such practices.<\/p>\n
\"Through the announcement, we suggest applicants obtain their
\npassports only through the legal counters,\" Yusron said.<\/p>\n
Out of the official rate of Rp 110,000, Rp 75,000 is for the
\npassport book and administration fees, Rp 30,000 for passport
\nphotos and the remaining Rp 5,000 for the fingerprinting process,
\nhe explained.<\/p>\n
\"We have made adequate appeals but still many people ask the
\nhelp of brokers to arrange their passports,\" he repeated, adding
\nthat his office could not prohibit anyone, including the brokers,
\nfrom entering the office and even offering their service there.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone is free to enter this office. We cannot easily
\naccuse anyone here of being a broker. If we forbid people from
\nentering this place, unless they have things to do here, we're
\nafraid that rallies will be held here,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Yusron did not say with whom the brokers shared their big fee
\ncollected from the applicants.<\/p>\n
The brokers refused to comment.<\/p>\n
According to Yusron, each passport is usually completed in
\nfive days, as long as all the prerequisites are fulfilled by the
\napplicants.<\/p>\n
\"All of the applicants should be processed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"But we can speed up the process if an applicant really needs
\nthe passport to be finished in one day, as long as he or she can
\nshow supporting references stating that the passport must be
\nready in one day.\"<\/p>\n
He said his office received 25 to 30 passport applications per
\nday. (24\/ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-complain-over-high-cost-passport-process-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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