Why is it that several of the immigration booths at the Bali Airport are often unmanned? Could it be that the 'pegawai' (immigration staff) are too damn busy in another room taking bribes by processing the passports of the queue jumpers?
Each time a queue jumper pays their bribe to these vultures another individual that didn't pay the bribe has to wait just that little bit longer in the regular queue as there are less officials working there. Get the picture? No wonder it takes longer to get through immigration now days.
This illegal practice looks after the types akin to those that like to blow their stale cigarette smoke over non smokers in restaurants. Totally unfair and uncalled for. These individuals have this 'I'm alright Jack, stuff you mate' attitude.
They claim it's worth every Rupiah to avoid waiting in the queues. They can afford paying the bribe! Why shouldn't they do it? Most others can put up with the wait.
Afterwards these big spenders can't find (or refuse to pay) another $2.00 to give to a porter to help them get their bags to waiting transport outside. One forumite on here promotes the bribe paying but refuses to hand over some loose change for a legal activity! Go figure!
Then I hear the lame excuses that it's OK to pay the bribe because they will be doing other illegal activities once in Bali anyway (buying copy DVDs or watches). So two wrongs make a right then?
How does bribing immigration officials in a foreign country equate to buying a Bali DVD? Is that comparison called 'clutching at straws?' What are they really hiding?
And how about this scenario, you have paid your bribe and handed over your passport and are waiting in the little room dreaming of the Bir Bintang you will be having before the other poor souls currently lining up in queues even get a smile and a 'welcome to Bali' from Pak Immigrasi at the immigration booth. When all of sudden there is a commotion outside the room and you can just make out the guy through the crack in the door, the one you gave your passport and 'hard earned' to being escorted away by some official looking dudes. You can just hear a cry of 'Korupsi' from one of the officials as the door is closed to your waiting room.
Now how do you feel? No passport means no Bir Bintang. How are you going to get out of this one? In an international airport with no passport and you have not been processed by immigration yet? Maybe it would be best if you just sit back and watch that copy DVD playing in the waiting room. You may be there a long time.