Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Unhappiness with the way some countries have been treating its citizens abroad is behind Indonesia's tit-for-tat decision to scrap visa-free entry privileges granted to dozens of nations, including the United States, Australia and Britain.
After a Cabinet meeting yesterday, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril told reporters: "The move will show that we will treat other countries as they treat us. If we have to have a visa to go there, then they will have to do the same when they come here."
The move has been in the offing for several months, observers said, with the government miffed at the way some countries have been treating Indonesians. In the United States, for example, Indonesian men on long visits or living there have been required to register with the immigration office since early this year.
This, according to the US government, is intended to anticipate any potential terrorist activity.
In Australia, hostile raids at the homes of Indonesian Muslim families have sparked accusations of state-sponsored racism and strained the already fragile bilateral ties between the countries.
"The government realises we must react firmly to this; we don't have to be nice to those who treat Indonesians wrongly," Mr Yusril said in an earlier statement.
A presidential decree, issued earlier this month, stipulates that visa-free facilities will only be available to citizens from 11 countries now, including Singapore and Malaysia nationals.
It comes into force later this month, an immigration department spokesman said. Previously, nationals from 48 countries could enter visa-free.
Mr Yusril also said the decision had been taken because of changes in the immigration policies of countries such as South Korea, which has revoked its free-visa policy for Indonesian visitors.
Tighter visa controls will also control the incoming traffic of foreigners, many of whom have been abusing visa policies by illegally extending their visits here.
Indonesia's liberal 60-day visa-on-arrival policy was introduced in 1984 in a bid to attract foreign tourists. It meant visitors did not have to pay or go to an Indonesian embassy abroad to get a visa, which would be issued on their arrival in the country.
Predictably, the flagging tourism industry – already reeling from the effect of terrorism, the US-led war on Iraq and the Sars outbreak – is worried that the policy will discourage visitors.
"The timing is wrong and the consequence of this move could be fatal to the industry," said Meity Robot, the President of the Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies.