Ripped off

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