A 66-year-old Singaporean man identified by the initials MB, was apprehended by the Blitar Immigration Office in Indonesia for living and working illegally in the country for 12 years using a fake Indonesian identity card, teaching at a private university in Tulungagung, East Java, according to Kompas.
The Discovery of Irregularities
While arranging travel documents for an overseas trip, immigration officers conducting an interview with MB noticed irregularities that raised suspicions.
Officer Arief Yudistira from the Blitar Immigration Office revealed during a press conference that further investigation revealed MB’s true nationality.
Upon further questioning, MB eventually confessed to being a Singaporean citizen. The confession prompted the Indonesian authorities to reach out to the Singapore Embassy, which confirmed MB’s citizenship.
MB’s original birth certificate, which was issued by Singaporean authorities, revealed that he was born in Kampong Pachitan, Singapore, in September 1956.
Investigation revealed that MB had entered and exited Indonesia multiple times since 1984. In 1988, he arrived in Indonesia to pursue his studies at Gajayana University in Malang. Eight years later, he completed his Master’s degree in education.
In 2011, MB illicitly obtained Indonesian citizenship documents, including an Indonesian Identity Card (KTP), Family Card (KK), and altered birth certificates. The falsified birth certificate stated that MB was born in Pacitan, East Java, effectively changing his identity to Yatno.
Notably, MB’s new documents indicated a birthdate in February 1973, making him 17 years younger on paper.
Under the guise of his fake Indonesian identity, MB secured a position as an English lecturer at Universitas Bhinneka PGRI (UBHI).
Reports suggest that he had been teaching at the university for over a decade. The university’s headmaster, Imam Sudjono, expressed surprise and shock upon learning about MB’s true nationality.
Students had previously complained about MB’s heavy Malay accent, assuming he hailed from Sumatra or Kalimantan.
The Blitar Immigration Office, led by Arief and his team, is currently investigating the case to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for legal proceedings.
Arief stated that if the evidence is inadequate, deportation will be pursued. MB’s citizenship documents, including his fake identity card, were issued by the Department of Population and Civil Registration in Tulungagung Regency.
It has been reported that MB is married to an Indonesian resident and has children. As of the latest update, MB is slated for deportation, according to a report by Kompas.