Quote:
Originally Posted by newyorker88
The police are just wayanging. In acutal fact, they are looking for money. It has been a bad year here, with so many business doing badly, and the cops need "side line" for their new year mah.
Ramadan is just excuse. In fact, they want $$$$$, the bottom line. I personally seen quite a few "checks" on the streets, police asking ojeks to stop to "check", these few days. So buckle my seat belt too, not to let them have excuse. They will usually stop you if you make a traffic blunder, and that will be excuse to take some $$$ from you.
Usually, the higher class hotels are not subjected to such raids, unless there is a tip off. Also, the police have no rights to do a check without a warrant, like the report wrote.
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It's always the same story during this time of the year (Ramadan or fasting month), that not only the polisi, but all government departments will be looking for some extra $$$ for their new year.
During 1 of the Ramadan months previously, I got busted by the polisi few times for minor traffic offenses,
1. Not wearing seat belt - For this i kena Rp.400k
2. For turning into a small road which they've (suddenly) just put up an No Entry sign, this I kena Rp200k
3. This one is interesting. For making not really an illegal left turn from main road into smaller road. Anybody who drives in Batam will see a sign saying "belok kiri jalan trus" on most intersection with traffic lights, so even without the sign the normal rule or practice is like it's OK to make left turn even if traffic light is red. I was already so pissed off with the earlier 2 cases in less then 2 weeks then now this shit again. I argued with the polisi who stopped me asking him to stand there on the road for just 5 mins and look at those cars making the same left turn (after he stopped me), I told him that if he's going to fine me, he should fine everybody doing the same. So he actually got 1 more polisi down and together they stopped a few more cars doing the same turn, and those drivers were also agueing with them (big time). Then polisi end up talking to me like this, "boss, cin chai lah, udah mau lebaran kasih jiat kopi lah..." So i gave him Rp100k.
They also conducted road blocks at night checking on guess what??
Copy or non-original CDs in your car sound system (WTF?!?!!)
Then also once in Tg Pinang, when I arrived at the terminal, forgotten that it was the fasting month, so walking with a lighted cigi, got stopped by custom officer. Pulled me to the side after talking to me for 2 mins cos he knew I sure won't give in to him as I've committed no offences, so same shit, nicely saying to me that hari raya coming, give some kopi $ lah ect ect....
I gave him Rp.50k.
All these so called cases, nobody will pay any attention to during the rest of 11 months of the year.