KUCHING: The Indonesian Consulate General here is proposing a change to the current cross-border policy for vehicles travelling from Sarawak to West Kalimantan.
Under the proposed revision, the current practice of leaving drivers’ identification cards (ICs) as a guarantee at the Indonesian border posts would be replaced with the vehicle ownership certificate (VOC), commonly known as the green card.
Raden Sigit Witjaksono, the Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching, said this in an exclusive interview with New Sarawak Tribune at his residence yesterday (June 19).
According to Raden, in the past, vehicle owners had to leave their ICs at the Indonesian border posts as a guarantee when entering the country. This was done because there were cases where vehicles were brought from Sarawak to Kalimantan but were not returned or were sold there.
However, such cases have been decreasing, and Raden has advised the head of the Aruk Border Post that it would be more appropriate not to use the IC as a guarantee due to its embedded chip. Instead, the proposal suggests that those entering Indonesia should leave the VOC or green card at the border post. This change will be implemented once an agreement is reached.
Raden emphasised the importance of ensuring smooth and secure crossing routes for vehicles at both entry points. He believes that if the procedures are complicated, people will be discouraged from bringing their cars to the other side. Conversely, if the process is simple and convenient, they will be more inclined to bring their cars into Indonesia.
Regarding motorcycles, Raden mentioned that riders could enter Indonesia by obtaining a letter from the Indonesian Consulate General, which they would present to the officers at the border post.
