The man said he loved Indonesia and wanted to become an Indonesian citizen. -PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM BATAMPOS/FACEBOOK
JAKARTA (The Straits Times/ANN): A Singaporean man was sentenced to five months in prison for illegally entering and staying in Batam since 2021.
“There is no excuse or justification for the defendant’s actions,” Judge Douglas Napitupulu, who led the panel of judges in the case, was quoted as saying by local news agency BatamPos.
While the prosecutor had demanded that Nur Faisal Shah, 38, serve eight months in prison, Judge Douglas noted that Faisal was well-mannered and had a baby.
Faisal – who said he loved Indonesia and wanted to become an Indonesian citizen – was asked by the panel of judges to sing the country’s national anthem Indonesia Raya and recite the Pancasila, a set of the country’s five guiding principles. He was able to do both.
This prompted Judge Douglas to ask that the prosecutor help Faisal become an Indonesian citizen.
In addition to the jail term, Faisal was asked to pay a fine of 25 million rupiah (S$2,100) which, if not paid, could be replaced with one month in prison.
“Yes, I accept,” said Faisal, in response to the sentence.
According to BatamPos, Faisal had illegally entered Batam through a harbour in Batuampar in July 2021, after taking a boat from the waters around Singapore’s Changi Airport.
Following a report from the public, the authorities found Faisal living in a rented residence with his wife.
He had reportedly moved from place to place during his time in Batam.
The Straits Times has contacted the Singapore and Indonesian police for more details.
