widder
I was woken up this morning at 5.45 by persistent knocking on doors all around me (after I had been reading until about 2.00 this morning, you can say it was a rather rude awakening). I live in a kamar kos, and there are 11 of these mini-apartments in the complex, so quite a bit of "knocking" going on. When I opended the door there were guys in black uniform checking ID documents, and would you believe it, my passport is at immigration! Lucky that I had printed out an email from my visa agent, telling me to go in this afternoon to do the usual photo and fingerprint thing for my KITAS and ID card. The boss guy looked at the letter, but did not seem to be very interested, but told me (which I knew) that I would need to register with my local police afterwards. All very friendly, but then he started talking about "empat juta", and I am not sure whether he meant that I would have to pay a fine if I don't go, or whether that's going to be my contribution to the Christmas fund - we'll see! I have just come to Bali from N. Sulawesi where I worked for a year, with KITAS, never had that happen there. So my question is: who were these guys checking IDs, and is this a normal thing here in Bali? I don't think it was directed at me personally, I am the only bule living here, and they woke up and checked everyone.
calitobali
Where do you live? There has been a lot of crackdowns on many things lately in Bali, maybe an attempt to increase "recorded police productivity" on the books before the end of the year. I live in a kos as well, but the banjar never bothers me here, I just pay rp 10,000 per month when I pay the rent for the kos, and when I first got here I had to provide a copy of my passport.
widder
I went to the office and got a copy of my passport which I gave to my landlord, to take where ever and do what ever with it. Hopefully that's the last of the guys in black, but a neighbour mentioned that it happens every couple of months or so. At imigrasi this afternoon everything was rather cordial, with music playing and jokes being cracked about me not being married (I am a rather mature female), but working and living here.
hafri
Its normal in some areas. They check how many and who stayes in the rooms. It`s for renovasion and water costs... money talks :D
Adam
Hi Widder,
My guess is that you were being checked by the local banjar (going from the black shirts). When my wife and I had a kos in Legian Kaja, we were checked fairly regularly (monthly-ish) for our ID documents, that is, they would check me (as an Aussie) for my registration with the police and check my wife's KTP and ensure she had a valid KPM (I think that's the correct acronym, it's basically a work/residence permit issued by the banjar to non local Indo's who work/reside in the area). Not possessing a valid KPM usually results in their KTP being confiscated which can have difficult consequences down the track, especially for "other islanders" who may try to return to Bali later.
They usually do their 'stings' in the middle of the night, so yes, this is a perfectly normal thing. What is not normal (and by that I don't mean by your own personal situation, but in general from my experiences) is the downright pig arrogance they often display and their general lack of manners and grasp of acceptable human behaviour. In the beginning, they used to intimidate me but over time their far to often attempts to 'blackmail' my wife and suggestions she was a hooker had me telling them to go and insert the rough end of a pineapple.
Sorry for the ranting, but I have personally found the Banjar/s, at least in Kuta/Legian areas, to be the scum of the earth and I have little time or good words for them. Stand your ground if they try and play hardball. Just make sure that you have registered with the police (moreso the responsibility of the kos complex owner) and they have no right to threaten you with any fake fines.
Regards
Adam
gilbert de jong
[quote=hafri] It`s for renovasion and water costs... money talks :D[/quote]
What's for renovation and watercosts? the 4 million the guy asked?
mimpimanis
I believe it is actually a security check. Our staff from Lombok working in Bali have to have the proper paperwork to be here. We are told if they do not they are at risk of being imprisoned and/or sent back to Lombok if there is a check. As important as it is for the authorities to keep track of foreigners on the island it is also important to keep track of migrant workers. The recent murder of the Japanese girl is an example of why, though I think terrorism is the main reason these days.
widder
I am now the proud owner of a Surat Tanda Melaporkan - in other words a Certificate of Police Registration. It will need to be done again, since they've got me down as a tourist for 1 month, not as a KITAS holder for 12 months. I think the landlord simply "forgot" to register me. When I managed a small resort up in N. Sulawesi one of the words the staff were not supposed to use was "lupa" = forget/forgot. It seemed to be an accepted excuse for any work which was not done and used to drive me crazy.
toucan
I also register with the local police whenever I go and stay in the village, the first time seemed to take ages but subsequent ones have been issued in about 15 minutes. I also sometimes drive our car which would be quite noticeable to the local police as not too many bule stay in the area, perhaps only Adam and I would be regulars.
