my experience

[lehoa]

Well, I remember the first time I went to Medan (Polonia airport). It was my first time in Indonesia and I was a green horn. The immigration guy asked me whether this was the first time I was there and I said yes. That was obviously a stupid thing to do as he kept on fiddling with my passport asking me all sorts of stupid questions like - who do you know here? What are your plans? What do you like here? Before I knew it, he was asking me in Malay "Saya nak duit kopi". I was stunned and went "Ah?" He got irritated and told me in a louder voice "Tak faham ke? Saya nak duit kopi!". I was really shocked and surprised. I was lucky that I kept RM4 in my pocket. I passed it over and he stamped my passport and waiver me through.

As time went by, I discovered that it was a standard procedure for even the local Indonesian Chinese to put around Rph10,000 to Rph20,000 (RM4 to RM8) in the passport before it was stamped to the Immigration officers. When you are flying out, they even paid the officers at the check point! If you don't, well......they would just open your suit case and take out your clothers and your bra, panties and whatever personal items and lay it flat out on the table for all to see. As this is the case, people just pay them to have a faster transit.

[lee20]

Oh my God! That was such a horrible experience. Good thing is that you didn't forgot to brought your RM4.
For me, I have not experience being like that and I hope it won't happen to me.

[marvinjames]

It's really very horrible.... I think I got a lesson from your story to keep all the relevant docs with me while traveling, especially going abroad..... But Nice to see taht you are very much aware to keep the important things like Your RM4 with you......

[jackytan]

Hi Lehoa
it sound not comfortable at immigration office, actually i have been to Laos, Cambodia and Singapore i am not yet having same problem is like you, oh no no, i got a small trouble at Cambodia airport, it was  my fault, when i check in custom office, there was couple pages on my passport was tear out, so they stop me for a while, i just stand there with thinking in mind that i might have to return, i said that the previous let me go, so please let enter to your country, look at their eyes i rely that money under the table will work faster,  it is true, it work at finally. after that trip i made a new passport, since and then there are no problem at all

[Suka]

oh, it was really bad experience. I don't think something like that still exit, it is not comfortable for all the tourists. Hope that I will not be one of the victims like you in the future.

[rosydsouza]

Its too bad.I don't know how it can happen.Tourist like me think twice before going to this airport.
I will keep this thing in mind.It is good that you have shared your experience with us.SO that we can be aware of this.