Singapore immigration

Singapore immigration

I am an Indonesian citizen, married to a Singaporean. On Feb.
28, 1996 I left Jakarta for Singapore by Garuda, after having
spent a holiday in West Java.

At Changi airport, an immigration officer examined my
passport, later he passed it to his colleague. The latter asked
me whether my husband was a Singaporean, to which I said "yes".
He then asked me to present our marriage certificate. I told him
that I had left it in Indonesia. Then he said that I could not
enter Singapore and that I should return to Indonesia
immediately. Obviously I got emotional. I asked why I was
prohibited from meeting my husband in Singapore. "My husband is
waiting outside the airport," I said

The immigration officer kept silent. As I was speaking
Indonesian, I asked the staff to find someone who could interpret
for me whether I had done something wrong so that I was barred
from entering Singapore to meet my husband.

A female staff from Garuda Indonesian Airways was summoned
to help explain what I said. She explained to me that I could not
enter Singapore because there was an immigration stamp on my
passport. I said that I did not understand about it. Instead of
helping me to get into the country this Garuda staff member urged
me to return to Jakarta by the next flight.

Later she accompanied me to meet my husband in the airport
lobby. Knowing the case, he was furious. He spoke to the
immigration officer on the phone. Finally, I was allowed to enter
the country after passing through immigration.

Apparently, I was suspected of being pregnant. In fact, I was
pregnant when I left Singapore last November. I gave birth to my
first child in Cirebon, West Java, in January 1996. I went to
Singapore leaving my child at home as its passport was still
being processed.

MRS. HUSEIN

Jakarta