5 Batam immigration officers reassigned amid extortion probe

Five Batam immigration officers including the head of the Batam Immigration Office have been reassigned amid an internal probe, after alleged accounts of extortion targeting foreign nationals arriving at Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal surfaced last month.

"Yes, (they were) withdrawn to the headquarters for investigation of the last case," Ujo Sujoto, head of the Riau Islands regional office of the Immigration Directorate-General was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying in a report published on Monday (April 6).

The news outlet named the withdrawn officials as Batam Immigration Office head Hajar Aswad, immigration checkpoint department head Richardo, inspection section head Yogi Prayogi, immigration data manager M Dewa Gian Sambada and immigration analyst Javier Saviola. 

The five officers will be temporarily placed under the Internal Compliance Directorate, reported The Jakarta Post. 

"Severe disciplinary punishment can involve dismissal. If there is enough evidence and witnesses, we can refer the case to the police for alleged extortion and gratification," Washington Napitupulu, an official from the Internal Compliance Directorate was quoted saying. 

About the case

Batam's immigration authorities launched an investigation into its officers following a report that foreigners have been extorted of up to $250. 

Online portal Mothership reported on March 25 that two separate groups of travellers were allegedly told to pay immigration officers at Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal up to $250 in "fees" or be turned back to Singapore.

The travellers were purportedly given reasons such as visa issues, or being "disrespectful" for crossing a railing.

The report recounted the experience of Singaporeans AC and his partner who were led to an interrogation room on March 13. 

"The officer yelled, confiscated phones, intimidated, and demanded a fine of $100 per person," AC told Mothership, adding that the officer threatened to detain them overnight and deport them to Singapore the next day.

AC said he gave in after two hours and paid the "fine" in cash, which the officer allegedly added to a stack under a keyboard. He added that he saw other foreigners from Malaysia, China, the Philippines and Bangladesh in a similar predicament. 

The report also recounted a Myanmar man who works in Singapore, Nay, who went to Batam with his parents on March 14. 

While Nay cleared immigration, his parents were held back and Nay was purportedly asked to pay cash for each parent due to apparent issues with their Malaysian visas. He said he negotiated the sum down from $300 to $250. 

"The casually-dressed guy said S$200 for immigration officers and S$50 for himself," Nay was quoted saying. He has since submitted feedback to Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission.

Several reviews on Google Maps and Tripadvisor.com show similar incidents experienced by foreigners, with the oldest report published in October 2015.

There have also been extortion attempts by Batam immigration officers on Indonesians, such as those travelling to Malaysia for work, who have been asked to pay between 150,000 rupiah ($11.40) and 250,000 rupiah, according to a Jakarta Post report.

Errant officers would allegedly direct passengers heading to Malaysia away from autogates and towards manual counters.

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