Government to issue new rules on immigration

JAKARTA (JP): The government will soon implement a new immigration policy that will lift the existing barriers for Chinese tourists entering Indonesia, an official has said.

Director General of Tourism and Culture I Gde Ardika said on Tuesday the policy would, among other things, allow Chinese visitors to enter Indonesia through the 13 main entry points instead of only five as currently allowed.

"The policy is expected to be implemented sometime in April. The tourism ministry and other related authorities are currently preparing the details, which will later be discussed with the Chinese authorities," he said.

He said his office had recommended the government give citizens of China the "free visa short stay" facility or at least allow Chinese visitors to arrange their visas on arrival in Indonesia.

The recommendation was being discussed and had yet to be decided upon, he said.

Introduced in 1983, the free visa facility allows citizens from 48 countries, including the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Britain, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, Egypt, Mexico, France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Hong Kong, to enter Indonesia without having to obtain a visa prior to arrival.

The facility, which is not available to citizens of China, South Africa and several other countries, also allows the eligible visitors to stay in Indonesia for a maximum of two months, to travel and to attend conventions and seminars.

Ardika said current regulations demanded citizens of China obtain the proper visa before entering Indonesia.

Chinese visitors are only permitted to enter Indonesia from five airports, including those in Jakarta, Medan in North Sumatra, Surabaya in East Java and Denpasar in Bali, he said.

The new policy was expected to attract more Chinese tourists, he said, adding that not many Chinese tourists wanted to come to Indonesia because of the country's stiff immigration rules.

Official data show that only about 600 Chinese tourists flew directly to Indonesia's tourist island of Bali in 1999, higher than 326 in 1998 and 579 in 1997.

Ardika said the government expected the number of Chinese visitors to increase sharply to roughly six million a year in the near future following the implementation of the new policy.

He said the new policy was being prepared in response to President Abdurrahman Wahid's recent criticism of the country's stern immigration regulations for Chinese visitors.

Abdurrahman, during a visit to China late last year, blasted Indonesia's overly-strict immigration regulations for Chinese citizens entering Indonesia, saying the tight policy was merely a ruse to extort money from visa applicants.

Abdurrahman then instructed concerned ministries to phase out the immigration rules.

Indonesia and China resumed diplomatic ties in 1990, which had been frozen since 1967, two years after an abortive communist coup which Indonesia then claimed involved China.

In a bid to boost Indonesia's flagging tourism industry, Abdurrahman turned down a recent intention of the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Security and Political Affairs to review the existing free visa short stay program, according to Ardika.

Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs Gen. Wiranto said late last year his office was considering a review of the free visa facility because it had brought about unfavorable effects, including drug smuggling.

Ardika said the President's decision to keep the facility in place had been warmly welcomed by tourism-related companies because they believed the program was a significant incentive for foreign tourists coming to Indonesia.

Indonesia received 3.93 million visitors in 1999, up on 3.51 million in 1998. (cst)