Blue uniformed guards at airport

From Kompas

On June 20, 1994, when about to fly home from the Soekarno- Hatta airport to a city outside Java by a Merpati airliner, my suitcase was double-checked at the X-ray inspection box by blue- coat guards who then ordered me to have it opened.

After I obeyed one of them commanded, "Give us the video cassettes."

I dug deep into the suitcase to bring out eight cassettes which I bought and wished to take home. Increasingly displeased I asked the guards why my cassettes had to be so inspected. One of them brusquely answered that if I don't want my goods inspected at the airport I should not at any time travel by air. Another guard came and said: "We are checking if these are porn video cassettes."

Having made sure the cassettes contains only feature films already shown in the cinemas in Jakarta, and without uttering a word, the blue-coat guards went away leaving me to the task of rearranging my belongings.

Feeling rudely treated, I moved to see a Merpati official (one Mr. Kustama) but disappointingly Mr. Kustama only told me that they are not part of the Merpati people.

The experience made me wonder, "Is inspecting video cassettes part of the job of the blue-uniformed guards at the Soekarno- Hatta airport? If yes, "Why weren't they equipped with television set, VCR and laser disc player to be more effective?"

If the authorities suspect porn video cassettes and laser discs are circulating, I would suggest that these rude guards be given the more useful task of tracking these (outside the airports).

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