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.