DPR Member Urges Stricter Oversight of Foreign Nationals Within the Country

Jakarta – In fulfilling its oversight function, Franciscus Maria Agustinus Sibarani, a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ Commission XIII, conducted a specific working visit to the West Kalimantan Immigration Office on Thursday, 9 April 2026. During the occasion, Sibarani appreciated the swift actions of the West Kalimantan Immigration team in handling a conflict involving foreign nationals in the case of PT Sultan Rafli Mandiri (SRM) in Ketapang last December. According to him, the rapid response from enforcement to the deportation process was effective and able to prevent potential conflicts within society. “This swift and measured handling deserves appreciation. It even received positive responses from community leaders, including the Chairman of the Ketapang Dayak Customary Council, because it maintained conduciveness on the ground,” Sibarani stated in his remarks, quoted on Friday, 10 April 2026. In addition, he also appreciated the smooth immigration services during the high season period from February to March, which included moments such as Chinese New Year, Cap Go Meh, Eid al-Fitr, and Easter. “Amid the increase in passenger traffic, immigration services continued to run smoothly. We also received many positive responses from the public regarding the professional and responsive services,” he continued. Nevertheless, Sibarani emphasised that oversight of the presence of foreign nationals within the country still needs to be strengthened. He highlighted that immigration oversight has so far tended to focus on entry points, while monitoring after foreign nationals are within Indonesian territory has not yet been optimal. Yet, potential violations often occur when the activities of foreigners are not adequately monitored in the community environment. “The majority of cases that occur are the misuse of residence permits or visit permits, including overstays. For example, visas applied for visits but used for work, which clearly violates the provisions,” he asserted. He added that oversight of foreign nationals is not only the responsibility of law enforcement apparatus but also requires active community involvement. “The role of the community, especially at the sub-district to neighbourhood levels, is very important because they are the closest to the living environment of foreigners,” he said. However, the obligation for guests to report within 1x24 hours to the neighbourhood association as well as the utilisation of the Foreigner Reporting Application (APOA) by the Directorate General of Immigration is deemed not yet running maximally. “The community can play an active role by reporting if they find foreigners who stay for a long period and do not interact with the surrounding environment. Such information is very helpful for apparatus in conducting oversight and enforcement,” he explained.