Gaining entry to Kerobokan L P (Jail), Bali as of 1st March 2008

  Gaining entry to Kerobokan L P (Jail), Bali as of 1st March 2008

“The most consistent daily procedure that can be assured is the inconsistencies”.

Approximate Money Exchange Rate since Jan 2008
= Rp8.000 to Rp8.300 to $AUD1
(Or for $AUD100.00 you will receive Rp800.000)

If using taxi to visit Scott, say “I want to go to LP Kerobokan” (Ker-r-o-bo-kun)
L= Lembaga P= Pemasyarakatan meaning institution (of) socialisation.

Visiting hours –
Monday non visit - (Saturday 1/2 day am only) - Tuesday to Sunday
9.00am – 12.00 and 1.30pm – 3.00pm

NOTE: Conditions are subject to sudden change. Consulate warns payment to visit is not legal. Although our experience is you may have difficulty moving through the different checkpoints if the amounts stated and outlined below are not paid. Nothing is consistent but the following is close to the daily grind. Full passport must be available to handover at the first checkpoint (window).

To visit from 1st January 2008, it is required that your name is to be put on a register. This register is sent to the consulate by Lee or Chris and it is then passed onto the prison authorities by the consulate.
In saying this, if you are not on the register and wish to visit, there has been and incident where they may ignore the rules (depends who is on duty on the day) and they MAY try and hit you up rupiah 100.000. If you don't pay, they probably won’t let you in. This happened to an Australian fellow recently who didn't know any better and never contacted us until he returned. If at any stage they persist in wanting more money, state to them you will contact the consulate. Things should improve from that point.
Unfortunately it is illegal and it sets a precedent which in turn is not good for the relationship between the authorities, the inmate and their families or visitors.

If you wish to use a guide/taxi driver that knows the ropes regarding L.P. Kerobokan, like Munir (085837805742), I can advise Munir if you wish, prior to your visit. He will negotiate day rates as well (approx. Rp250.000 to Rp300.000 9am to 6pm).
Or:
If you require another taxi driver if Munir is occupied, consider this driver belonging to the “Blue Bird” group: His name is Simon on local mobile phone number 0817367301 or to arrange prior to your travel from a mobile in your country (+ 62 817367301).
The Blue Bird Taxi Group contact number is 0361701111 to contact other drivers. This taxi company is considered the safest and most reliable.

• Consider carefully on what you really need to take in (leave valuables at your place of residence). Also consider to take something to sit on, cushion, mat, or a folding stool. There is a new visiting area constructed (old garden area), seating available on floor only. You could also ask Scott to organise a floor mat or a soft drink case to sit on, if one is available. A cushion is still required due to the sharpish edges.

• On arriving at LP and looking at the front steel entrance of the prison, to the right and around the corner, there is the check-in window - point No1, no rupiah required here. Here you present your passport or overseas driver’s license and give details to the guard of who it is you are visiting; state their crime (narkoba); where you are staying (Legian is always handy); what is it you bring (makan – to eat). The passport is taken and transferred internally from here to Check point No3. Before leaving this window you will receive a number on a string to place around your neck.

• As you turn around directly behind where you were standing, there are policemen with another register to sign with similar information to be written down. At least one of them will be able to assist with English. No payment of rupiah is required here either. The information required for the sign-on book is – your name, address in Bali (suburb will suffice), prisoner’s name, and relationship to the prisoner (friend or family), crime (narkoba) and your signature.
The police will check any packages or goods you are bringing for the prisoner. They will search thoroughly, no bottles or glass containers allowed, the women seem to cop it worse than the blokes – typical. Keep a close eye on what is happening, as items are known to disappear or you will be asked to share. Cigarettes are a favourite, yet they don’t appear to like Australian/Western smokes. Don’t take pills, tablets or other medication in purses or handbags.

• Make your way to the iron gate entrance at the front of the prison, and wait for your number to be called. Once in through the iron gate there will be a further wait until your number is called again to enter via a wooden door to check point 3. If you are with someone local, like Munir, he can help you with the language and numbering system. As you enter through the wooden door, have rupiah 5000 ready at this point (no more), to make it easier to progress. Also have your mobile and camera ready to be collected (it is best not to take them in at all). You will have your details entered in yet another register. Your passport will have been delivered to this point internally and it will be placed in a pigeon hole along with any other items (e.g. moby or camera, etc.). You could be given yet another numbered plastic card plus a strip of paper/cardboard, with the inmate’s name written on it. You will then be ushered through a large steel barred door.

• Next stop, check point 4, No rupiah to pay here, is the very strict search (once again depends who is on, but most are fairly strict). Don’t attempt to carry any more than rupiah 500.000 past this point as they will confiscate it. What ever is taken, you will be required to sign a receipt book with your name and amount of cash or any other items taken. It is best to take only a couple of hundred thousand and some small money for possible gift to prisoner and purchasing drinks. It is expected sometime soon, an x-ray machine is to be installed at this point to lessen the strip and body searches. On recent visits, Chris at least, was searched on the body and underwear, checked twice a day everyday behind a curtain. They will search your goods and make you leave behind anything they warrant is not within the rules, mostly glass bottled stuff is what they look for, if it has been missed at check point 2 by the police. – if they attempt to take something – be assertive and say “No that is for Scott” and gently take it back and place back in bag/container. They may also go through your handbag/wallet etc.

• You will then walk towards the visiting area. Once through the doorway, on the right there is a toilet, for which payment is expected. Warning – consider not having to relieve yourself until the visit is over. On your left will be two guards sitting at a small table. You show the guards the name slip of the prisoner you are about to visit – produce Rp 5000 and here they perform another minor check of goods for the prisoner (sometimes when the Rp 5000 is produced hear they will rattle the packet only and allow you to go and prepare for the visit). The brown slip with the prisoner’s name will be given to a fellow called a “Tamping” who goes to the cell to call the prisoner. It is wise to give this person, very discreetly, Rp 5000 also or your wait may be longer than the expected visit time.

• Wait for the prisoner to come – usually up to ten minutes unless the prisoner knows before hand. Look for an area to sit out of the sun / rain, less crowded area as possible and out of the walkways. At the same time the drink fellows will appear. Ignore them until you are ready to speak with them. Pick one person to deal with and remember him and get his name. Deal only with this person not several, or you will be lighter in the pocket for their services. Once settled and waiting for Scott to arrive it is now a good chance to get one of the drink boys’ attention and order your preference of fruit tea, water, coke/other soft drink, smokes, crate to sit on if needed.

Caution 1: Take note of the drink fellow and ask for his name as confusion can set in and you can end up paying double. Costs: Rp3000 for fruit tea and water, 5000 for soft drink or mizone, (soft drink box not usually paid for?). Later, usually a different drink fellow will come back for payment – if you pay up then later the original drink fellow may/will appear for payment. Confusion reigns and explaining you have already paid, becomes a task – they conveniently don’t understand and you can get hit up for double payment. Not compulsory to buy any drinks or use the soft drink box of course.

Caution 2: Sometimes after about half an hour visit, a couple of prisoner workers (part of the Tamping Group) will come round asking for payment for extra visit time – usually Rp 1000 will suffice, it is best to pay rather than argue on the grounds of fairness that you may have just arrived or have already paid when you entered for the visit. Seems the more you pay/give the more is demanded. Also it has been known that the prisoner gets hit up for the costs on his way back to his cell, at the end of the visit, if not paid.

• When the bell sounds off, you have about 10mins to wrap up your visit, sometimes earlier than the allotted time. If the visiting area is very crowded, they may call out to those holding low numbers (first arrivals), to leave and make way for later arrivals.

• As you leave the visiting area, and had money or other items confiscated, remember to retrieve them. If it is money, carefully count out slowly and sign for it. Have your plastic cards ready as you line up to leave. Collect items (passport, mobile, etc.) from where you hand in the plastic number card.

• On leaving there is a Rp 1000 parking fee to pay.
What to take to the prisoner
* Rupiah – in small money of your choice –
(1 000, 5 000, 10 000, 20 000, 50 000 neatly folded and given very discretely in a handshake or letter)
* Fresh fruit and salads
* Aussie foods – pies, tarts, sweets, biscuits, health food bars
* Fresh snack – salad roll, pizza, small roast chicken
* Health Drink – Mizone, Gatorade, pocari sweat cans
* Golden Circle Raspberry Cordial for Bali Belly
* Barbecue Sauce from Australia
* Reading materials – Australia - Newspapers, magazines etc
* Reading materials – Bali - papers, Bog Bog political comic, Puzzle books.
* Self Improvement – Self Esteem – Motivational Books
* CD’s, DVD’s, second hand game boys.
* Pulsa / credit for mobile phone if know which carrier and can be done electronically if number is known, providing they are still in their possession.
* Australian Cigarettes
* Cheap pair of joggers or thongs
* Second hand cotton sheets and pillow slips
* Second hand tennis/badminton rackets and other games
Note1: Australians should not pay to enter the jail but consider the 15 000 rupiah a donation. (Roughly 8 000 rupiah = $1 Australian).
Note2: Tour Guide Wayan Sukada is also a good contact for tourism and accommodation. His number is 081338710584 (+ 62 81338710584).
Day Hire is negotiable for a cost of approximately Rp 400.000 – Rp 500.000 ($AUD 60 - $AUD 75) from 9am to 6pm also negotiable.
Note3: Welcome to Indosat, use “+” or “001”; “008”; or “016” with <Country Code> <phone number> (BUT drop the 0 from the beginning of the area code). E.g. to call Brisbane Queensland Australia 07 3379 8757 – dial from your mobile “+ 61 7 3379 8757”.
Note4:
 

Ideas of Food for Scott

Markets near Kerobokan at cnr with traffic lights Fruit and veg (good value – cost and quality) FROM BINTANG SUPERMARKET - Chemist and Post Office and Bakery outside Bintang Supermarket ATM’s and taxi’s plus reasonably priced wine available Strawberry Milk (BIG M brand) Plastic Bottle – {same for Emmanuelle / Michael Chocolate}; Fresh full cream milk – carton; Cheese – Bega mild; Ham slice – blister pack; Lettuce and tomato; Bag of ice (Rp 6000) at meat counter; Biscuits / milk powder / Marlborough mild and cigarette lighter).Bakery Shop outside of Bintang Supermarket Pie / pastie / Quiche to be warmed up (expect 5 mins wait) ½ Baguette’s – [can request to cut up into four pieces and sliced to make sandwich]

Pulsar/credit for phones Phone shop/counter near bakery at Bintang supermarket or Susani to assist at Ole` Fookin Pub Legian with her near by friend Agus. Bali Deli - 0361738686 – can order ahead and pick up for quick service. [All Aussie type tucker- great quality BUT expensive] - ATM’s available Salad rolls; Smoked chook (cold); Cakes and Tarts; ½ Baguette’s; Quiche;  OZ Hamburgers – takes ages to make; Strawberry Milk shake.

Circle K - 0361735316 just down from markets heading towards Legian RH side – can order ahead and pick up for quick service. - small ATM available inside. Strawberry Milk (BIG M brand) Sandwich bar (not so nice)Cake shop – good value – same side as Circle K and between the fruit and veg market Brownies (chocolate slices); Anniversary cakes. Nasi (steamed rice) Padang – From Kerobokan to fruit and veg markets, through lights follow winding road for 1.5 klm on left before Tony’s Villa) there are others but not of this quality. Beef Nasi Padang (rice, vegetable, piece of beef and gravy wrap in brown paper). MacDonald’s (a lot of trouble this one) nearest Kuta beach Big Macca’s (yuk) but he likes it for a change or Cheese burger.Hotel Takeaway Food Whatever.

Other contacts to consider

stamps Rp10000  each - for  Scott to write to people

Bruce Cowled (Australian DFAT consul general) 08123867920

Susani (Ole` Fookin Pub Legian – helps with credit for phones) 081916232175 [works with Lilah and Nemo] Mantra (Scott’s helper – Susani knows him also) 081223967892

Munir (Taxi driver) 085237805742

Simon (Blue Bird Taxi Driver) 0817367301

The Blue Bird Taxi Group contact number is 0361701111

Pastor Ed’s Indon number  - EWS church prison worker 08164743313

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