Corruption at airport

Corruption at airport

From Warta Kota

On Feb. 23, I landed at Soekarno-Hatta Airport from Yogyakarta, and looked for a Blue Bird taxi to go home.

Unfortunately, no sooner had I entered the taxi than a Top Guards security guard stopped us and threateningly asked for some money.

While the taxi driver was trying to find a Rp 5,000 note, the automobile behind honked at us. The driver got nervous and the security guard in question seized the car keys and drove away. I was surprised to witness this, as I had never seen anything like it at any other international airport.

Later, I had a quarrel with this security guard as I insisted that he returned the car keys to the taxi driver. It turned out that he had handed over the keys to Second Lt. Hrt, an officer in a dark blue uniform, who apologized to me. I soon learned of the cooperation between the security guard and the security officer.

I also learned that at this airport, a taxi using a meter is not allowed to take passengers. Taxis without a meter are allowed to pick up passengers, as they give some money to the security guards and security officers. If a taxi with a meter insists on taking a passenger, it will have to pay a fine of Rp 100,000 to the security guard. This is really the law of the jungle.

As this extortion is openly practiced, tourists will find it horrible and will be discouraged from visiting our country. Besides, if you want to enter the lobby of the airport, you also have to pay the official fee and a tip. Bribery like this will only make the airport vulnerable to terrorism and other criminal acts.

PT Angkasa Pura, the company managing this airport, must take immediate action to address this problem.

ABU ALI, Jakarta