September 18, 2025 | 11:34 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian national, Jamaludin Taipabu, was punished by Singaporean authorities for illegally entering the country last year. The man took a speedboat from Batam before jumping into the sea and swimming the rest of the way.
As reported by CNA, Jamaludin Taipabu used an improvised flotation device to swim for about an hour to Singapore. He was facing financial difficulties in Indonesia and decided to illegally enter Singapore to work.
Jamaludin was arrested in August 2025 after living in Singapore for around 11 months.
This 49-year-old man was sentenced to six weeks in prison and three strokes of the cane on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. He pleaded guilty to charges under the Immigration Act for entering Singapore without proper authorization.
During the court hearing, Jamaludin admitted to entering Singapore illegally to earn money, as he found it difficult to support his family with his income in Indonesia. He sought the help of a friend, referred to in court documents only as "Azwar." He agreed to pay Azwar Rp5 million (US$305) to facilitate his illegal entry.
Around midnight in September last year, Jamaludin met Azwar on a beach in Batam. He boarded a speedboat captained by Azwar and crouched for about one and a half hours while the speedboat was directed towards Singapore.
Later, Azwar informed Jamaludin that they were in Singaporean waters and instructed him to jump into the sea.
Jamaludin complied and swam towards Singapore using a flotation device. He reached an unknown coastline in Singapore about an hour later and entered the country undetected.
In Singapore, Jamaludin worked odd jobs and sold contraband cigarettes to make a living. He was apprehended on August 12 this year around Sungei Kadut, near the Woodlands district.
When apprehended by officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), he could not provide any evidence to show that he was residing in Singapore legally. He also had no travel documents.
There were no movement records indicating that Jamaludin had entered Singapore legally. Through a translator in court, Jamaludin expressed remorse and pleaded for a lighter sentence.
In its statement, Singapore Immigration stated that it takes a firm stance against individuals who enter Singapore illegally. "Under the provisions of the Immigration Act, any person who enters Singapore without possession of a valid pass issued to him (or) her shall be guilty of an offense," it said.
An individual found guilty of this offense can face up to six months' imprisonment. Male offenders can be sentenced to a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while female offenders can face fines of up to S$6,000.
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