Locals find inexpensive way to visit S'pore

Locals find inexpensive way to visit S'pore

Fadli, Batam

Meiman, an employee with a tour and travel operator in Batam, was
seen patiently escorting some 25 Indonesian tourists through the
Harbor Front Center in Singapore.

One by one the tourists went through the entrance gate after
being given the green light by the Singapore immigration
officers, known for their resolute attention to detail,
especially when it comes to Indonesian visitors. As they walked
into Singaporean territory, Meiman briefed them on the schedule
that they would stick to during their stay in Singapore, the
shopping mecca of Southeast Asia. She then escorted them to the
bus, which would take them to their hostel.

Meiman, an Indonesian, told The Jakarta Post that the group of
people, mostly government officials from Jakarta, were about to
visit Singapore for a leisure visit.

"This is the holiday season for Indonesians, so many
Indonesians are visiting Singapore for a leisure visit. Many of
them visit Singapore through Batam, as that is the cheapest way
to get into Singapore," she said.

Most tourist groups from Indonesia were from government
offices, she said. She revealed that the government officials
often used little tricks to get the cheapest way to Batam.

She explained that they often used a travel document similar
to a passport called the SPLP, which is issued by the immigration
office in Indonesia, to reduce the cost of the government's
bizarre travel-abroad tax, known as a fiskal, which is normally
Rp 1 million per person. Everyone in Indonesia who wants to leave
for Singapore (or any other country in the world) by air is
required to pay the Rp 1 million (approximately US$ 107 at
current exchange rates) fiskal, while it is just Rp 500,000 if
they go by ferry from Batam.

The SPLP document is actually aimed at allowing government
officials to get a reduced fiskal. But, in practice, there are
many government officials who get the document, regardless of the
status of the visit, whether its for official purposes or
leisure.

The document looks similar to a passport, but it can contain
up to three people on it, with photos. Each one costs Rp 200,000,
much cheaper than the government's travel tax.

"Considering that the trip via Batam is much cheaper, many
Indonesians visit Singapore after first going to Batam. The
number of Indonesian tourists that visit Singapore from Batam has
increased markedly since airline tickets between Jakarta and
Batam are currently much cheaper than Jakarta-Singapore tickets,"
she said.

A one-way ticket from Jakarta to Batam can be as low as Rp
300,000 (US$ 33), while a one-way ticket from Jakarta to
Singapore is usually just under $100. Previously, Indonesian
tourists had to pay three times as much for air tickets to Batam.

"There are also growing trends for Indonesians wishing to
visit Malaysia and Thailand after going through Singapore, as
they can get cheap bus or train tickets in Singapore," she said.

According to Meiman, her company has provided service for more
than 100 Indonesian tourists on their way Singapore in just the
past month.

There are also many other people who visit Singapore via Batam
but choose to go it alone.

They will typically pay for the airline ticket from Jakarta to
Batam, then Rp 500,000 fiskal and the ferry ticket for about US$
10 to Singapore.

She said that most of the tourists visit Sentosa Island's
Underwater World, the Mustafa Samsudin shopping center in Little
India and, of course, Orchard Road in downtown Singapore.

Considering that Batam has become the gateway to Singapore,
many government offices often intentionally hold official
meetings or gatherings on Batam. After they complete the meetings
on say a Friday, they then flock to Singapore for the weekend.
Which is why people on Batam have grown accustomed to seeing
travel agents turn up during official government functions in the
hotels in Batam, with offers of inexpensive tour packages to
Singapore.