Ripped off by police in Bali

I've just returned home from a 22-day holiday in Bali. I stayed at the Hilton at Nusa Dua, and enjoyed, once again, the fantastic atmosphere, as well as the delicious local food. This trip, the fourth in five years, was completely different from the last one. Different, because of the attitude of the local police.

Every day, I read The Jakarta Post, and my attention was repeatedly drawn to corruption in your wonderful country.

I rented a motorbike in Kuta for two weeks. On my way from Kuta to Nusa Dua, I had to cross, at a light-controlled intersection, the road that leads to the airport. As I approached the intersection, the lights turned to amber/red, and everybody continued on their way except for me. I was the first to stop, because the cars and motorbikes from the other street had started to move forward.

A policeman standing at the crossing came over and asked me to get down from my motorbike. He also took the keys, and gave me instructions to follow him to the booth. There he started telling me that I had made a big mistake, as I was responsible for holding up the traffic. I explained to him the reason for my stopping, but he didn't want to know. He started writing on a pad of forms and told me that I had to go to court in five days.

Meanwhile, one of his colleagues entered the booth with a Frenchman, who had, according to that policeman, committed a traffic offense with his car. Finally, they asked us to "find a solution", which, for me on a motorbike, was cheaper. The "fine" for me was Rp 100,000 and for the Frenchman Rp 200,000.

We agreed to pay but asked for a receipt, as is usual in all countries if you pay something. This was completely impossible, but they did promise that the money would go directly to the state's coffers.

GUY ROOTHAERT

Antwerpen, Belgium