537 foreigners deported this year
JAKARTA (JP): The number of people deported this year has doubled to 537 foreigners from last year with Chinese, Malaysians and Indians topping the list of those expelled.
Director of supervision and law enforcement at the Directorate General of Immigration, Zaiman Nurmatias, said the number has risen from last years' 277 foreigners.
"Immigration violations were committed by citizens from China followed by Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Taiwan, Turkey and the Netherlands," Zaiman said Tuesday.
He did not give the breakdown of violations for each nationality but said that the violations were mostly a misuse of immigration permits as many foreigners were found working here without the correct documents.
Other violations included overstaying permits and fake passports.
In October, the immigration office conducted its biggest ever deportation when it flew home 252 Chinese sailors.
Apart from those already expelled, 139 foreigners are awaiting deportation at the immigration quarantine center in Kalideres, West Jakarta.
Zaiman said his office was having difficulty in the deportation process since they either did not have a ticket, a passport or are not recognized by their country.
He added that some were unwilling to return to their country and had requested to be sent to another country.
Zaiman explained that in such cases the immigration office worked together with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office here.
He added that embassies often did not allocate funds for sending their citizens home.
Zaiman also revealed that the number of individuals on the list prohibited from leaving the country stood at 333 people. The Ministry of Justice requested the prohibition of 23 individuals, the Ministry of Finance 100, the Attorney General's Office 197 and the Armed Forces Commander 13.
The list of those barred from entering Indonesia was far higher at 2,938 people. The Ministry of Justice has made the most requests for forbidding people from entering the country at 2,641 people, the Attorney General's Office 99 and the Armed Forces Commander 198.
Zaiman warned foreigners yesterday to ensure that they enter the country using the appropriate documents and that they adhere to immigration rules pertaining to their presence here.
He said his office was committed to finding foreigners who overstay their permits or abuse their privileges.
"I've ordered all immigration offices to bolster the inspection of foreigners. It will be conducted on a routine basis, not just on New Year's eve," he said. (mds)