iPad, Corruption, Singapore

The producer of iPad is now very lucky because the mass media in Indonesia has been reporting intensively about the tablet computer in the last few days, therefore giving it a free advertisement.

It all started in 2010 when iPad started to enter the Indonesian market from other countries, especially Singapore, through unofficial channels and sold in in the black market.

In spite of the lack of import and sales permits, iPad became popular very quickly and many people want to buy it although illegally. This has attracted the Police to carry out investigation on the people who sold them.

A Police officer disguised as a buyer contacted two vendors, namely Dian Yudha Negara (42) and Randy Lester Samu (29) who advertised the sales of iPad 3G WiFi 64 GB on the local online social media Kaskus and bought two iPads on 23 November 2010.

The iPads were not equipped with certification and manual written in the Indonesian language, so  the Police arrested them and charged them with violating Law No. 8 Regarding the Protection of Consumers, Law No. 36 Regarding Telecommunication, and Regulation of the Minister of Trade regarding electronic products that can be imported. Both of them could face a maximum prison sentence of up to five years.

Dian and Randy then told the Police that they bought the iPads while they were traveling to Singapore, but they cannot show evidence to support this, such as passport and airline ticket.

Now they both are facing trial at the District Court of Central Jakarta. Luckily during the trial today the judges released both of them from detention.

Dian and Randy may have violated the Laws and therefore they may be eligible to face the Court trial they are facing now.

What really surprised me was the very quick action of the law enforcement agencies against both of them, which was very different from the very slow actions against people who have been suspected of Corruption/ Bribery such as Nazaruddin and Nunun Nurbaety which enabled them to runaway to Singapore.