Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Director General of immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry Silmy Karim has asked officials of the Directorate General of Immigration to be more responsive in monitoring foreign nationals in Bali following several immigration violations."We need to continue to be responsive about what is happening in the community, both complaints filed officially and those that go viral on social media," he said on the sidelines of the Immigration Festival (Imifest) here on Tuesday.
Intensive cooperation with regional governments and law enforcers is also needed to make foreigners comply with and respect cultural values, particularly in Bali. He said the Immigration Office has an essential role in Bali in detecting and prosecuting immigration violations. Apart from that, immigration is also a doorstop for preventing potential crimes, including terrorism, from entering Indonesia.
To this end, he expressed the hope that the Immigration Festival would become a forum for the dissemination of immigration policies that are collaborative and require networking. Meanwhile, the Bali Regional Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry has, in addition to intensifying monitoring against foreigners, created cards that include information on prohibitions and obligations that foreign nationals must abide by.
According to the office's records, the Immigration Office in Bali deported 178 foreigners from various countries in the period from January to July 11, 2023. Meanwhile, since Bali reopened its international gates in May 2022 and up to December the same year, 194 foreigners were deported from Bali.
The problematic foreigners included those who had abused their stay permits, violated their visas, exceeded their stay permits, and committed criminal acts, as well as those who had violated the norms and rules of law that apply in Indonesia.
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The Bali Regional Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry has provided a call center service where people can file complaints against foreigners committing immigration violations. The service can be reached on the number 0361-224856.