[eddy]

and for those of you who go to Indonesia on business PLEASE dont assume Singapore is part of ASEAN so no need to apply for a visa.

IF YOU ARE DOING BUSINESS IN INDONESIA OR EVEN TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS, YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR A BUSINESS VISA. I think the first time applicant will be given a 3-6 month visa while subsequent renewals is usually for a 1 year period.

Yes you can try to escape applying for business visa but when caught with company/product brouchures, proposals, laptop full of business info etc etc etc....... you WILL be in trouble because its an immigration offence.

This kind of offence will bring only a small penalty but is troublesome in the face of evidence. However, they MUST hand you over to immigration authorities and have no right to hold you.........

REMEMBER....... its all mind games everyone is playing..... threaten that your career/married life is finished, bluffing that it normally takes 3 months before they produce you in court etc etc etc blah blah blah....... while it is TRUE that the case will take months to get to court, you just cook in the cell for a couple of days max before your lawyer or relative will come to BAIL U OUT.

The FIRST CALL you should make is to the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta and look for the attache in-charge of immigration affairs..... the phone number is 62-811- 863-348 and tell them your problem, (PLEASE dont forget to tell them where you are, hor). This immediately puts you on the Singapore embassy radar and initiates a case file.

Its important to tell Embassy exactly where you are, hor. Dont waste your time at the station looking down at the floor. Indonesian customs/army/police/immigration authorities always like to 'dress up' their offices and it will be very easy for you to glance around and see all this info plastered all over the place. If it helps, please also look out the car/van window when they transport you back to station for road name or landmarks (Eg. 'I dunno where this place is in XXXXXX town but its very near a Mc Donalds/mall called XXXXX etc etc ). It makes it easier for them to find out your exact location because the station where you are held might take a fucking long time to call the embassy (if they are willing to contact the embassy at all)......in many large towns there are normally a FEW police stations and also Polisi Intel (Police Intelligence) stations.... so dont just waste time and get moody, keep your eyes peeled for clues on your whereabouts..... makes everybody job easier.

Anybody want to talk to you or ask you questions, ALWAYS demand to see their ID and take down names and ID numbers. This is required by Indonesian Law and they cannot deny you this information.

NO the Singapore Embassy will NOT bail you out (they dont know if you are really innocent or guilty, thats fair) but at least they can inform your family or relatives where you are and also that means you are no longer 'lost' or 'missing'. Someone from the embassy will visit you to check that you are in OK physical condition and none of your human rights are abused. The embassy rep will also take note of your requests (like 'inform my gf/boss/landlord etc etc' ) and advise you of your rights.

Even if they did not abuse you, PLEASE LIE and complain that you have been pushed around and physically abused etc etc.....the embassy will make it very clear in no uncertain terms to the polisi that you are not to be touched, that your cell must meet minimum hygine standards, that you must be properly fed and hydrated.

They will ask the polisi to check your passport to verify that you are indeed a Singaporean and at same time remind them of your rights.

It is RARE that you will get to this stage but who knows..... anyway its RARE because they want money and want it QUICK......

NOW please hor.....dont be a stingy bastard....... if you want to get out quick.....just empty your pockets of every single cent u have and tell them that THAT's IT.......take it all and settle up because you have NOBODY, NO FRIENDS, NO RELATIVES, NO PARENTS etc etc that will come help save you with S$20,000 because you work as a factory supervisor drawing low pay .......and THATS WHY YOU GO BATAM/BINTAN FOR A CHEAP HOLIDAY !!! (Please for God sake dont say 'thats why I go Batam to look for prostitutes!!!!' ) (this is for mongers caught in nearby indonesian islands)

Oh one more thing.....if u have the balls......u can curse them in their face (especially AFTER the embassy official visit you) ....... they cant touch you or lay a finger on you.