Malaysian tried for using fake passport

Malaysian tried for using fake passport

JAKARTA (JP): A Malaysian woman was indicted at Tangerang
District Court yesterday for allegedly using a fake Indonesian
passport.

Prosecutor Syahrudin charged the defendant Lam Miew Fun, 29,
for violating Article 55 (a) of Law No. 9/1992 on Immigration.

"The defendant could face a maximum punishment of five years
in jail or a fine of Rp 25 million (US$6,760)," Syahrudin said.

He said the defendant was in possession of an Indonesian
passport under the name of Grace Emma Theresa Saerang.

The defendant and her friend, a Chinese national identified as
Chen Kok Sung, tried to depart from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
for Japan on May 13. Both had fake passports, he said.

An airport immigration officer became suspicious when he
realized the two women did not speak Indonesian, he said.

The women were then questioned and later arrested.

Syahrudin said Chen would be indicted under the same charge at
the same court next week.

He said the two women admitted to having bought the passports
for Rp 7 million each from four Indonesian men, identified as
Jackson Tan, Ruslan, Ng. Ngu Ho and Gun Eng, and a Malaysian man
identified as Tan Kok Kiong.

The women planned to pay for the passports after obtaining
work in Japan, he said.

Presiding judge J.H. Situmorang adjourned the trial until next
week.

According to Immigration Director of Supervision and Control
Zaiman Nurmatias, his office had sent at least 10 foreigners to
court this year.

On May 28, a Singaporean identified as Loh San Chun was
sentenced to one year and six months in jail and fined Rp 1
million for making a fake immigration stamp, Zaiman said
yesterday.

"We're really concerned about crimes with immigration
documents and will continue to fight against it," he said. (jun)