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KBRI – Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia, a great relief.

Monday Sept 15, 2008 was another day of me learning another new experience. I was in a sick leave due to bad flu since the day before. But somehow, I managed to visit the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia at Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, when a friend called up for 'recsue' to settle some formal related transaction late in the afternoon. Though this visit was not properly planned, but I’m truly glad of what I’ve found there, something that I’ve been longing to see since years and years ago. So many changes on the look, on the people and environment, had put everything became so much different than my many experiences visiting this place before. Thank you KBRI for making the good governance campaign a reality. What is so different about KBRI this time?

We reached the location at about 5.40 pm after struggling from the usual hectic traffic at Jalan Tun Razak. The counters open till 9.00 pm every day during month of Ramadhan to accomodate the huge amount of people traveling back to Indonesia for ‘pulang kampung’ season. I realized we’ve used different entrance than the one I often used to get in. Once I entered, changes were very visible, especially on its infrastructures. I managed to snap few photos. But knowing that I was not satisfied with what I took, I browse through KBRI website for additional info and better illustrations.

staff entrance
KBRI, the front entrance to the staff office, not for public.
(Source: My Snap)

Information board shows off some recent photos
(Source: My Snap)

There’s a dedicated fence-guarded line especially made for people to queue up while waiting for their turn, maybe to collect forms or something. No one was on the line that time because it was already late evening. But, I’m sure the number of people who needed the service had never been decreasing. As expected, here’s the photo from KBRI website showing the reality. But, at least for now, the condition is much more structured. Compare both pictures, before and after, and you’ll understand what I meant.

The crowd 'lines' (Before)
(Source: KBRI Gallery)
The crowd lines (After)
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

Before entering the waiting area, I saw a proper washroom and musholla, separated for both ladies and gents. This is definitely far better than the previous!; (only ONE unisex toilet accommodated for hundreds of people!)

Washrooms & musholla just before the entrance to the waiting room
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

Applicants busy filling forms. This view is common even after the establishment of the new system. I wonder why.
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

Meanwhile, the waiting area is air-conditioned and equipped with color-coded chairs; yellow allocated for document applicants and brown for document collectors; both strategically located facing the service counters. KBRI has developed a new integrated service system by adding up another 8 counters (from original 17 counters), complete with electronic numbering system, plus musholla, washrooms and air-conditioned waiting room. All these were funded via compensation of the ruined area caused by construction work for a new apartment built exactly next to KBRI.
Apart from that, KBRI added more local resources from 74 staffs to 137 staffs totally. With all these new facilities, KBRI had put intensive and serious act to shorten up the process of passport application period from the duration of 41 days, to just 3 hours. That’s a huge gap!

This is a fresh new look, though the old wood benches was installed for temporary use.
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

The electronic numbering system.
(Source: KBRI Gallery)


Proper seats for everyone.
(Source: My Snap)
(Source: My Snap)

The counters
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

The Staffs
(Source: KBRI Gallery)
(Source: KBRI Gallery)

As far as I could remember, within these 21 years of my permanent stay in Malaysia, I had experience the old, exhausted, stuffy feeling of the condition in this Embassy too many times already. Once, I'd compared the condition with Australian High Commission (the only Embassy of other country I’ve had experience with), hati seperti mau menangis, ternyata bedanya seperti langit dan bumi. Truly, deeply from my heart, this change had put me into a big relief and gratefulness. I’m sure many Indonesian felt the same way too. Well, we can’t expect everything to turn up 100% perfect. They've just started the system around 2007. It wasn't a new invention anyway because other system out there is far modern and a lot more sophisticated. But, improvement process needs time and we need to be patient to support the management of KBRI improving their service. For instance, KBRI had bought 12,500 m2 piece of land at Putrajaya to develop new location of KBRI which will be more representative to become a greater landmark for Indonesia. Congrates!

(Refference: KBRI website, Own experience)

 

2 comments:

  1. An Ikram said,

    hey dear..
    i know this is quite early to wish..
    but who cares, hahaha
    Happy Birthday..
    God Bless You with endless happiness..

    on September 21, 2008 at 9:12 PM  


  2. yuhuuu...!

    thank you...!

    Allah bless u...!

    on September 22, 2008 at 12:11 AM