DEPOK. The Depok Immigration Office in West Java rejected on Monday the applications of 45 people to get passports, claiming that the applicants had failed to submit proper data.
"They were unable to submit the correct data and couldn't properly explain the purpose for getting the passports. We need to anticipate unwanted things, such as a possibility that they might fall victim to a human trafficking scheme," office head Dadan Gunawan said.
Dadan added that the rejections were made as an attempt to protect the citizens and that the decision had been carefully considered.
"We do not just dismiss the requests without any consideration. We check their backgrounds. They said they aim to go on holiday, but in fact, for example, they don't have any houses or occupations," he said as quoted by kompas.com.
He added that the rejection was initially based on a newly introduced regulation that required applicants to have savings of at least Rp 25 million (US$1,877) in their bank accounts. However, that ceased to be a consideration when the regulation was annulled on Monday.
"The state, indeed, has to accommodate its citizens. However, the state also needs to protect them from unwanted things," he reiterated.
