Government mulls reviewing visa on arrival facility

JAKARTA (JP): The government is considering a review of its visa on arrival facility, currently provided to nationals of 48 countries.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto said on Monday the government found severe "negative effects" from the facility, which entitles nationals of the designated countries to remain in Indonesia for 60 days without obtaining a visa before their visit.

He complained that several countries did not reciprocate in providing the free visa to Indonesian nationals.

"We have given a lot of countries this facility but some of them have not given us the same in return," Wiranto said after chairing a monthly coordinating meeting on political affairs and security.

"Now we also have this negative effect that we didn't expect to emerge. Therefore we will study it (the visa facility) further." He did not explain what he meant by "negative effects".

The government introduced the facility -- also known as a tourist pass -- in 1993 in a bid to drum up tourist arrivals. Tourism is expected to become the country's main source of foreign exchange in the coming century.

However, there have been growing concerns, particularly among immigration officials, that the facility is being exploited by drug smugglers.

Immigration officials also noted a rising trend for Indonesia's use as a transit point for people seeking illegal entry to a third country, particularly Australia.

As of November, 596 foreigners were deported from Indonesia. The number was 28 percent higher than the same period last year in which 466 were deported.

Although Wiranto did not specify how the visa policy would be reviewed, he said the ministers involved could reconsider the number of countries receiving the facility or reduce the stay period.

"We could cut it to 30 days or 14 days in order to increase the effectiveness of our control," he said.

"But we will surely consider this matter, taking into account the present strategic developments."

Among those attending the meeting were Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab, State Minister of State Administrative Reforms Rear Adm. Freddy Numberi, Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja, Minister of Human Rights Affairs Hasballah M. Saad, Minister of Communications Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar, Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Attorney General Marzuki Darusman.

Separately, spokesman for the Directorate General of Immigration Mursanuddin A. Ghani welcomed the decision to review the regulation, saying there was an increase in visa violations.

Ghani said Indonesia should ensure reciprocal treatment when providing visa facilities.

"We give a two-month free visa for Americans and Australians, but our people have to obtain costly clearances to enter those countries. We need to see this principal mutually applied for Indonesia and other countries," he told The Jakarta Post.

The countries selected for the visa on arrival facility are considered major sources of tourists.

Ghani said some visitors abused the facility to avoid regular immigration procedures.

"But many use the visa for working and other activities which are not allowed. We are concerned about security, unlike the tourist sector which is mostly concerned about prosperity."

Tourism, a major foreign exchange earner for most of the 1990s, suffered a downturn amid increasing unrest in many areas of the country in the last two years.

The 3.5 million arrivals in 1998 were a 30 percent drop from 5.1 million the previous year.

The Directorate General of Tourism projected a turnaround in the situation this year, estimating tourist arrivals of between 3.9 million and 4.4 million. (emf)