Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nitecrawllerr]

I have a frd working in ICA. There were times foreign visitors have dual citizenships. The system able to capture the discrepancies. He told me most of the time the snr officers just reminded to pax to produce the "right" passport so as to avoid unnecessary checks with HQ. So in sillypore so long u r rich ICA will turn a blind eye.

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

I have a frd working in ICA. There were times foreign visitors have dual citizenships. The system able to capture the discrepancies. He told me most of the time the snr officers just reminded to pax to produce the "right" passport so as to avoid unnecessary checks with HQ. So in sillypore so long u r rich ICA will turn a blind eye.

Alo...what you tokking huh...any ICA officers will tell you no dual citizenship...if officer knew anyone who possessed more than 1 passport already an offence and the person can be investigated and prosecuted...

So if your ICA Friend is not doing his job - anyone with multiple passports maybe a terrorist...putting Sinkieland in danger becos the guy may be a terrorists trying to bomb our country...

I doubt that ICA like what you describe...

Selamat Hari Raya to our Muslim friends...

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Alo...what you tokking huh...any ICA officers will tell you no dual citizenship...if officer knew anyone who possessed more than 1 passport already an offence and the person can be investigated and prosecuted...

So if your ICA Friend is idiot - anyone with multiple passports maybe a terrorist...putting Sinkieland in danger becos the guy may be a terrorists trying to bomb our country...

I doubt that ICA like what you describe...

Selamat Hari Raya to our Muslim friends...

System will prompt. He will refer to snr officer. They will chk with HQ. Thats what i neen told. The book may say tis and that. End of the day ICA still have the discretion whether to prosecute or otherwise. Hw cld u be so naive?

Another thing. Quite often we read pros fm certain countries being arrested and banned. Are u telling me those ICA officers are idiots and dont know hw to do profiling? U go figure out.

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

System will prompt. He will refer to snr officer. They will chk with HQ. Thats what i neen told. The book may say tis and that. End of the day ICA still have the discretion whether to prosecute or otherwise. Hw cld u be so naive?

Another thing. Quite often we read pros fm certain countries being arrested and banned. Are u telling me those ICA officers are idiots and dont know hw to do profiling? U go figure out.

Yes, anyone who followed the SOP are not idiots...ICA officers who refered to higher authorities carried out their jobs gallantly and keeping our nation safe....

I take back my words becos of the first unclear post of yours...

[sohbuckkong]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

System will prompt. He will refer to snr officer. They will chk with HQ. Thats what i neen told. The book may say tis and that. End of the day ICA still have the discretion whether to prosecute or otherwise. Hw cld u be so naive?.....ut.

I just wonder, are the database of different countries all linked or shared together. If its not linked, then theres no way spore could know who is that foreigner. If its linked, then that would be very interesting.

If its not linked, then ICA most likely is just checking with their own database of marked persons.

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Yes, anyone who followed the SOP are not idiots...ICA officers who refered to higher authorities carried out their jobs gallantly and keeping our nation safe....

I take back my words becos of the first unclear post of yours...

Typical civil servants lah. Why would they put their heads on the chopping board? Doubtful case let higher authority handle or wait further instructions like little india riot incident.

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by sohbuckkong

I just wonder, are the database of different countries all linked or shared together. If its not linked, then theres no way spore could know who is that foreigner. If its linked, then that would be very interesting.

If its not linked, then ICA most likely is just checking with their own database of marked persons.

Certain things cant be divulge here lah. But be rest assure our security here very tight and well manage.

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Typical civil servants lah. Why would they put their heads on the chopping board? Doubtful case let higher authority handle or wait further instructions like little india riot incident.

Yup...anyway so long they flagged out nothing wrong to the said officer...most likely ppl with dual/multiple passports will be escorted to be questioned by senior officers...

glad our ICA are keeping us safe...

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Certain things cant be divulge here lah. But be rest assure our security here very tight and well manage.

Originally Posted by sohbuckkong

I just wonder, are the database of different countries all linked or shared together. If its not linked, then theres no way spore could know who is that foreigner. If its linked, then that would be very interesting.

If its not linked, then ICA most likely is just checking with their own database of marked persons.

only interpol database linked...we can ask CIA or MI5 for help...or Israel Mossad for checking...

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by ndnd

I believed the studio apartment you are saying is actually kost or so call kost executive. Example like lai lai apartment. Those electricity is definitely low cost. If compare with those high rise apartment is great different.

My personal exprience:
Lai Lai Apartment average about 600k a month.

True, and most friends who stays in this so called Kost executive werent there 24 hours, 7 days a week. Hence the calculation of the electricity bill need to plus minus a bit here and there.

Originally Posted by ndnd

Big landed house about 1.6juta a month. (Didnt tried to save. Just used as i like)

High rise apartment about 1.9juta a month. (after i tried to save on electricity, sometime hit 2.1juta).
Maintence fee at 1juta a month.

You see the different?

Hmm...so can i safely say that the electricity mentioned here were when your air-con were 24 turned on round the clock? For both high-rise apartment and your landed house you stayed in.

Thanks for your info, now i have another problem and i am going to find ways to solve it...

Originally Posted by ndnd

Normal local household usually pay 400k to 800k per month.

Hmm...so i am guessing as foreigner, it would be more expensive even if i stayed in a landed house instead of apartment.

Originally Posted by ndnd

Mine high becoz of 2-3 aircon + TV on whole day.
Especially my hall aircon, due to high ceiling. Heavy duty aircon running 24hours.

Noted.

All these info you shared were good info that i need to keep for reference.

[miumiu6464]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Hmm...so can i safely say that the electricity mentioned here were when your air-con were 24 turned on round the clock? For both high-rise apartment and your landed house you stayed in.


Hmm...so i am guessing as foreigner, it would be more expensive even if i stayed in a landed house instead of apartment.



Noted.

All these info you shared were good info that i need to keep for reference.

Maybe I can provide another set of figure for your consideration.

We are staying in a 2 br landed house now. Fan in 1 br and ac in another br. No TV as not provided by landlord. Other things like fridge and washing machine applies. AC is on average 16 hours a day. Our electricity bill never go beyond 200k per month. But, of course, we are not staying in an expensive city like Batam. FYI.

I'll try to look around my laptop. Have a copy of Nagoya Homestay electricity bill from a few years back that you might find useful.

[sohbuckkong]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

only interpol database linked...we can ask CIA or MI5 for help...or Israel Mossad for checking...

Without being linked or shared, then theres no way spore could know who is that foreigner. With this, then its v obvious spore ICA is just checking for fake passports and bad records from its own database and those from interpol. I doubt spore is keen to know whether a foreigner hold single or multiple citizenship.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cleyeo

Electicity bill more than 1 juta is crazy, more exp than Singapore.. Here, I am paying $160 for Singapore Power (electric, water and gas).

I notice in Indonesia, petrol were subsidized for locals and i read in news before, luxury items were kind of heavily taxed. There was news before that when Indonesia government cut the amount of subsidies for petrol, end up there was some riot or protest.

My guess, the subsidies goes to locals but not foreigners. They also subsidize some non-luxury items (especially necessities) but tax more on luxury items.

High rise apartment i guess were under the category of luxury items,especially electricity.

Originally Posted by ndnd

Local always find it stupid to buy and stay in apartment, and i happened to be one of the stupid one

If you or anyone were able to buy and stay in high-rise apartment , i dont see why that as stupid. Its more like the quality of life you seek. Imagine yourself staying in condo apartments in Singapore, its not stupid,hehehe...when the maintenance and/or electricity bill is at least 3 times higher as compared to Batam.

As mentioned above, i guess high-rise apartment/s were category under "luxury item",hence no subsidies, and even especially so for foreigners.

It all make sense then.

[blk437]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Yup...anyway so long they flagged out nothing wrong to the said officer...most likely ppl with dual/multiple passports will be escorted to be questioned by senior officers...

glad our ICA are keeping us safe...

Woh, Brother Hurricane, u are still as active as ever here. Long time no see u.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

1. Unlike in singapore where condo/apartments gets a fresh coat of paint every 5 -7 years under repair and redecoration works, buildings in indonesia including batam always lack routine maintenance. Can see some buildings in batam after it was built has hardly any maintenance, neglected and in a terrible run down condition.

( Click to show/hide )

2. Under the strata title act in singapore, if there is a inter-floor water seepage between the upper floor and the lower floor in a condo, the upper floor owner is liable and responsible to carry out the repair. And if the water leakage is at the unit on the highest floor, then it is the responsibility of the management to carry out the repair at the roof since the roof is a common area which is maintained by the management.

However, if there is a ceiling leakage on your newly bought unit from the developer in Batam, the developer normally will provide either 5 or 10 years warranty to all the waterproofing work at all levels and will undertake to carry out the rectification work.

3. The rubbish chute is either inside the individual unit kitchen area or at the common corridor. They should have a refuse collection truck to remove rubbish from the condo daily. However, not sure whether the refuse collection in batam is efficient and reliable or not.

4. Lift breakdown can be an important issue for a high rise building. Lift contractor are supposed to attend to the breakdown within a certain time duration. But Batam is not Spore. As it may lacks qualified lift technician to repair and service the lift.

5. In spore, strata units (condo/Apt) are managed by professional managing agent. However, Batam may not have sufficient qualified people to maintain the building.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

6) Number of term contractors and site workers working in the condo
The nos. of security guards, cleaners, gardeners, pest control worker, electrician, plumber, etc hired will affect the total expenditure and thus the maintenance fee of a unit.

Thats quite true too. Hmm...one the condos in Batam i am looking at actually employ some Korea companies to run/manage the place,hehehe...and i think the later maintenance is not going to come cheap. Then again, i am also concern of how well they can manage the apartment block.

Electricity wise, i can still have some solution but maintenance is now my other concern.

I plan to go solar (if electricity is at such "scary price" in Batam),hehehe...just like whats on my living place in Singapore and i need to cut air-con usage too. Location now is all the more important than before if my apartment were to cut air-con usage,hehehe... need to be airy enough.

I am collecting more information as i go along in this thread.