537 foreigners deported this year
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)