'Facilitating' payments?

'Facilitating' payments?

As a concerned expatriate I am writing to express my
dissatisfaction with the Indonesian practice of having to make
"facilitating payments" -- a fancy word for bribery.

This unpleasant practice is prevalent within nearly all
branches of the government, as well as in the private sector.

Recently I was compelled to make a "facilitating payment" to
the local police department, even though I was not guilty of any
crime. It was a "pay or go to jail" situation. Of course I paid.

To obtain an expatriate work permit "facilitating payments"
are required to not one but several branches of government
concerned with the issuance of the work permit. I can appreciate
that fees are required to process the necessary paperwork to
obtain the work permit but to pay the additional "facilitating
payment" is outrageous.

The practice of paying these "facilitating payments" should be
investigated and the guilty parties punished. I understand this
practice is unlawful; however, the practice continues.

MACOM HAWKINS

Pekanbaru