Restless Bali

Restless Bali

All this started on Dec. 11, 2002, when returning to Jakarta
after having 'Lebaran' with family in Malang-East Java, I allowed
myself to visit Bali for a couple of days, I decided to take
railway trip by executive class Mutiara Timur for longing to see
the scenery of East Java.

Arriving at the Gilimanuk port, a team of policemen of Brimob
(mobile brigade), checked the identity of every passenger of the
bus owned by Perumka (state-owned railway company). Since all
passengers can show their identity card (KTP), the officers
released the bus to continue to Denpasar. In Ubud bus station,
Denpasar, all passengers of the Perumka's bus - and as long as I
remembered the passengers of other busses also - were once again
requested to show their identity card by a team of Denpasar's
city security officers. Then, one by one the name of the
passenger was called and recorded in a book. We were then
requested to ride in the topless back container of a truck owned
by tramtib like a bunch of criminal who take us to the tramtib
office in Kreneng.

We found ourselves in a kind of temporary detention for more
or less three hours from 9:30 p.m. up to 1 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2002
inside the compound of tramtib office without any explanation.

At 1 a.m., a team of tramtib officers once again called the
passenger's name one by one and returned the identification card.
Then, all passengers who had received back their ID card were
requested to enter the bus rented by Denpasar's city government
who took them to back to Gilimanuk and finally to Java. This fact
was true contradiction to the news in Radar Bali, Dec. 13, 2002
that stated such operation was intended to visitors without ID
Card.

I myself, requested a special consideration not to join the
bus back to Gilimanuk, but to Ngurah Rai Airport by argument that
I wanted to returned to Jakarta, instead of East Java. Thank God,
the tramtib officers released me to take taxi. But, I did not go
to the Airport. Instead, I stayed in Bali as planned and returned
back to Jakarta by Garuda Indonesia on Dec. 14, 2002.

If Bali provincial authorities, wanted to limit "immigrants"
from Java who are suspected to become "burden" for Bali, why not
intercepted them in Ketapang or Gilimanuk? Bali provincial
administration, can open a kind of "check-point" to distribute
forms to be filled by visitors who want to enter Bali. And, after
checking the forms, Bali provincial administration, officials can
issue a kind of "entrance permit" or otherwise "deportation". But
this should be done carefully. Among the unwanted visitors, there
are true domestic tourist like myself and possibly low-social
class Indonesian citizen who just needs to pass Bali and stop in
Lombok to see his/her family in Bali, only because air transport
is unaffordable. Are they also deserved for "deportation"?

We can accept and understand the attitude of tramtib team of
Denpasar city because we know Balinese is now restless due to the
notorious explosion in Sari Club & Paddy recently.

But, I think it is necessary for Bali provincial
administration, to take more honorable and civilized measure in
handling domestic visitors, particularly those who enter by land
transportation. Incorrect/careless measure may trigger racial
hatred and anarchy, which finally will inflict loss to Bali.

SLAMET ABADI, West Jakarta