Batam to control migration

BATAM, Riau: The municipal authority of Batam plans to hold a roadshow to publicize its new strict migration rules at six different cities in Indonesia, Antara reported on Thursday.

The roadshow will be held in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Makassar, Palembang and Medan, considered to be major sources of migrants to the industrial island, the head of Batam Population Agency, Suprayitno, told the news agency.

The new regulation on migrants to Batam, which will come into force in August, sets stringent requirements for anyone planning to take up residency in Batam.

They are required to show various documents, ranging from a police certificate of good behavior to a letter of sponsorship from a Batam company. Visitors to Batam could be turned away on arrival unless they have proof that they have relatives who are permanently resident.

Batam's population growth at 12.7 percent is well above national average, mostly coming from migrants drawn by economic factors. Uncontrolled migration, put at around 4,000 people a day, has its social consequences, including the establishment of 50,000 squatter houses and high crime rates, according to Antara.

The new regulation stipulates penalties of up to Rp 5 million in fines and six months imprisonment. (04)