Indonesian workers extorted

Indonesian workers extorted

From Bisnis Indonesia

When many Indonesian workers (TKI), returning from abroad for the Idul Fitri holidays, landed at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, they were extorted.

First they faced customs officers who had intentionally prepared a special counter for the inspection of the TKI. The airport porters, without being solicited, then pushed the TKI's luggage trollies. The porters could have collaborated with the custom officers.

Outside the terminal, taxi drivers and their illegal brokers directly took the TKI to cars that were already "reserved" for them.

We appeal to the extortionists operating at the airport to have a little mercy on the TKI because they are our own people. They, after having worked hard abroad to earn a living, are being extorted by their own nation.

We also ask the government, sequentially administered by Pak Harto, Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid, to keep its promise, i.e. to eliminate discrimination against Indonesian citizens of Chinese descent, particularly regarding compliance documents.

For example, if a Chinese Indonesian wants to apply for a passport, why does it still have to be supported by change of name certificate etc. The officials usually discriminate after observing the applicants physical appearance (face, eyes, skin).

Why doesn't it apply to other Indonesian citizens of Arabic descent or other ethnic groups?

SUSANTO

Cibinong, West Java