Arguments with police

I refer to an article by Parlindungan Sibarani (The Jakarta Post, Sunday, June 4, 2000, Living in Jakarta's crime-ridden jungle).

What he said in his article about his friend's experience with police officers mirrored my experience on May 12, 2000. I even suspect it was along the same stretch of road. Indonesian friends I told about the incident shrugged knowingly, admitting it to be common knowledge. I wrote to the Post at the time, but my letter was not printed.

As a point of note, I decided at the time to go to court. Upon consulting lawyers, I was advised that my tilang (direct fine paid for traffic offense) was marked with a code between police officers and the court that I had been uncooperative, abusive and argumentative to the officer. I had been condemned and sentenced even before my court appearance.

I have lodged an appeal with some top police officers who admitted from the photographs of the scene that there was no violation. Luckily for me, my violation has been canceled. But I am still deeply upset by the prefabrication and slur on my good name.

Other expat friends mentioned police raids in night clubs and being "found" with suspected illegal drugs, planted on them to extort money in exchange for being "let off". I am deeply worried at the sort of treatment given to us expats, just because of the preconceived idea that we are made of money. Another friend even received a phone call threatening him with a bomb (a hoax).

Indonesia has been an experience not likely to be forgotten, unfortunately for some of us, over the last few months, with not so fond memories.

MS. R WAN ALI

Jakarta