Illegal immigration fees used to entertain lawmakers

Irawaty Wardany ,  The Jakarta Post 

Money obtained from allegedly false immigration fees at the Indonesian consulate in Kota Kinabulu, Malaysia, was used to entertain guests including House of Representatives members, the Corruption Court heard Wednesday. 

"We discovered that the money was used to entertain guests, including lawmakers," said witness Jonas Lumban Tobing, an official from the Foreign Ministry's inspectorate general. 

He said the consulate had no specific funds to look after guests or to finance Indonesia's anniversary events.

Jonas was testifying at the corruption trial of former Kota Kinabalu consul Muhammad Sukarna, former Kota Kinabulu immigration official Mas Tata Machron and their counterparts in Kuching and Tawau, Irsafli Rasoel and Makdum Tahir, respectively.

Jonas was appointed to lead a team from the ministry to investigate the alleged manipulation of immigration fees at the consulate including at its representative offices in Kuching and Tawau at the end of 2005.

The defendants allegedly submitted income tax reports based on lower immigration fees while continuing to charge applicants the higher fees, embezzling the difference. 

Jonas said he conducted the investigation on behalf of the ministry's inspector general following a report from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which found the consulate generals had been manipulating immigration fees for six years between 1999 and 2005.

Jonas said the embezzled funds were used to pay local and honorary staff  between RM 1,000 (US$280)and RM 1,500 in incentives per month.

Sukarna also received RM 2,000 on a number of occasions, Jonas said, an allegation fiercely denied by the consul who claimed that during his 2002-2004 tenure he only received RM 2,000 once as a working allowance.

Another Foreign Ministry official, Hindar Yoga, said the improper fees were charged based on a letter signed and issued in 1999 by former Kota Kinabalu consul Arifin Hamzah.

Citing an example, Hindar said the passport extension fee was increased from between RM 25 and RM 120 to between RM 40 and RM 140. "There were 14 items in the letter that charged minimum and maximum fees for all immigration fees," he said.

A number of other consul members are facing trial on the same charges of violating Article 2 of the 1999 Anticorruption Law and face up to 20 years in prison.