Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Case: Closed



Wednesday: Court Day. I went to PN early, as usual, this time at about 09.30. The panitera, Mr. A, saw me and told me to stay put, to wait where I was. I continued my 'waiting' activities: reading research materials and drawing in my sketchbook.

10.00 The appointed time for us to meet the judge. No sign of anything. Continued waiting..

10.30 A couple of women in civil servant uniforms came and sat accross my bench. I recognized one of them, Mrs. H, as the Sub-division Head of Registration at DisDuk (the Civil Registration Office). She recognized me, too, and indeed she was to be our 'expert witness' today.
I went upstairs to see Mr. A, letting him know that our witness has arrived. He went to check the judge but, he said, she's still in a meeting. We were told to wait. Mrs. H. had another case to go, too, so she (and her assistant, apparently) took care of that first - and that was done rather quick.

11.00 Mrs. H had works to do someplace else, so she preferred not to wait any longer. I looked for Mr. A again, saying that Mrs. H would have to leave and that I didn't want to have another postponement. He said the judge was still in a meeting and would us please wait another while.

11.20 Mrs. H was kind enough to wait this long, but she really had to leave. Mr. A finally let us approach to the judges' chambers (it's in a big building, you need a password to enter). The judge was talking to a guest (a lawyer, perhaps), but knowing the situation, she let Mrs. H in. They knew each other already, because it turned out that it's not the first time for Mrs. H to appear in court as an 'expert witness' - she's done that plenty of time for various cases concerning civil registrations.
Mrs. H and the judge talked in private. We were then told to wait in Court Room II, second floor, above Juvenile Court Room.

11.50 Mrs. H, her assistant and I were still waiting in Court Room II, without any sign of the judge appearing. Mr. A had to check down-and-upstairs for the judge, and he looked annoyed, too - especially everytime Mrs. H asked him, "Where is she?"
At a point, we all went downstairs because Mrs. H would like to cancel the trial. She said, the judge has met her and acquired formal information from her, so she didn't actually need to appear in person anymore. She could make a letter containing the judge's inquiries.

12.00 We went into the court room again because we saw the judge coming. Our session finally started.

12.20 We were done listening to our expert-witness. The judge said that she had to make sure about the procedure (concerning the registration), so her decision can be followed-up. She then allowed Mrs. H to leave the room, before turning to me to read her decision, that she allowed our marriage certificate to be registered as valid according to the Indonesian law. She hit her hammer on the table: case closed.
Thank God! Finally! *does Snoopy dance*

12.30 I followed the panitera to his office to take care of paper works. Mind you, this is Mr. A, the money-crazed civil servant. So, despite the fact that I was so relieved (that the case is over), I knew that the moment I dread would come soon. As easily predicted, Mr. A rightaway asked for a sum of money, so he can process the paper works (which are: a letter of statement from PN that our marriage certificate is allowed to be validated at DisDuk). Too bad the office was empty (it's lunchtime!) so nobody could hear our conversation, nor I could embarrass him (as if that's possible) in front of his colleagues.

T: Fine, just give me the bill and I'll pay according to the amount.
A (acting as if he looked for them his drawers): Oh, but I don't keep any kuitansi here. Why don't you pay now and I'll give you the receipt when you come to pick up the letters.
T (too tired to protest, I took out 50K IDR and shoved it in front of him): This will do, I presume?
A (snatching the money from the table): Oh, yes.
T (getting up): OK, tomorrow is a holiday, so can I pick it up this Friday?
A: Yes, but I have a plan with my children already. Perhaps not Monday, but please come again on Tuesday and I'll have it ready for you.
T (leaving his desk): Right, Tuesday, then.
A: Hold on.. Let's say this payment is for the notulensi, allright? So you'll still have to pay for the Letter of Statement. Do that when you pick up the letter. How about that?
T (stopped on track and was getting reeaally tired - mumbling): Yea perhaps. We'll see. Bye.

Dear readers, I'm not an anti-tipping person, nor a cheapskate in the department of rewarding deserving people. Had Mr. A not ask to be given money (in his harsh way, I might add), I would not be so reluctant as I am now. Anyways, this matter will be taken care of next week.
Afterwards, I'll have to go to DisDuk to have our marriage certificate validated - also our kids' birth certificates. Then to KanWil HukHAM, to apply for our kids' dual nationality. There's still a long way to go, but at least this phase is over. The glass is half full!

Thank you all for your moral support, which could really boost my spirit going through all this mess. More updates to come :)




31 comments:

  1. sweet jeebus! Mr. A is like a pain in the AS*!!
    but however, at least this phase is done... Congrats! I ad mire you for doing all of this, really...
    menunggu episode berikutnya ;)

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  2. congrats! finally... tapi tetep yaaa usaha buat dapet uang tambahan. ih gilingan padi!!

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  3. kongratulasyooonnnsss! itu pak A nya direkam aja pake video cameraphone tiap kali minta2, terus dimasukin ke youtube lengkap dengan nama dan NIM nya. HA!

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  4. congrats..habis ini terbitin komik ..biar balik modal

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  5. selamat ya TAAA, dgn perjuangan yg panjang akhirnya sukses :D

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  6. ikutan menghela nafas niih... :D.. heehee

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  7. Fiuhhhh... Selamat ya Ta. Tinggal dikit lagi nih beres. Ayo semangat!

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  8. Alhamdulillah Tita, akhirnya step yang ini berakhir, tapi perjuangan masih panjang. Sabar sabar tabah tabah. Kayak apa sih orangnya si Mr. A ini? Untung ya Ta, dirimu sabarrrrrrr sekali. Kalau aku, mungkin si A udah tak potes potes kayak krupuk kali. Makanya nih kasusku ngegantung di Catatan Sipil. Lawyer yang ngurus udah kena bentak bolak bolak, ya dibentak aku ya dibentak bojoku. Bukan keinginanku pake lawyer, tapi perusahaan bojoku yang nyuruh, sebab waktu aku ngurus sendiri, nggak selesai2. Dipikir kantore bojoku, kalau diurusuin lawyer biar lebih cepet kali. Nggak tahunya podo ae. Lawyernya rakus, kerjanya lelet.

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  9. Dear all, thank you so much! :)

    enkoos: kasusmu apa, mirip denganku, kah? di PN banyak juga lho lawyer yg kerjanya luntang-lantung nunggu kejelasan dari hakim dan ini-itu lainnya.

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  10. Congratulations! Will definitely be with you every step of the way!

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  11. congrats! akhirnya akhirnya.....!!!!!

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  12. Agak mirip. Waktu itu Zane akan ditugaskan ke Belanda. Aku harus melegalisir akte lahirku. Mereka nggak punya datanya, alasannya pada waktu aku lahir catatan berantakan dan dataku nggak ditemukan sehingga aku harus mengurus akte lahir dari awal, mulai dari RT, RW, Kelurahan, Kecamatan dan terakhir Catatan Sipil. Lho kok aneh, yang menghilangkan mereka, kok aku yang disuruh mondar mandir. Sabarrrr sambil ngelus dodo. Setelah akte lahir dilegalisir, harus dibuatkan akte lahir baru, karena syarat pengajuan visa Belanda, akte lahir nggak boleh berumur lebih dari 5 tahun. Lebih dari 5 tahun harus diperbaharui. Aneh, tapi piye maneh, musti diturutin.
    Permintaan selanjutnya, pernikahan kami yang secara Islam dan diakui secara sah oleh negara Indonesia maupun negara Amerika, ternyata tidak diakui oleh Belanda. Sehingga aku harus meminta semacam surat rekomendasi pengantar dari Catatan Sipil. CatPil Sby (karena aku berdomisili di Sby) tidak mau mengeluarkan, karena yang mengeluarkan buku nikahku adalah Departemen Agama dan dalam hal pernikahan, kedudukan Catatan Sipil dan Departemen Agama adalah sejajar. Bagaimana mungkin satu departemen memberi rekomendasi ke departemen lain? Gitu alasannya. Aku sibuk nyari info kanan kiri bagaimana dengan Catatan Sipil di kota kota lain. Cat Pil Madiun katanya bisa, Cat Pil Jakarta juga bisa. Aku kemukakan hal ini ke Kepala Cat Pil Sby, nih orang tetep kekeuh nggak bisa. Katanya ini otonomi, setiap daerah mempunyai kebijakan masing2. Nah lho, mentok kan. Maju kena mundur kena. Akhirnya sewa lawyer dari Jakarta. Solusinya, aku pake Cat Pil Jakarta dan tentunya aku harus berdomisili di Jakarta. Berarti musti pake KTP Jakarta. Proses lagi, waktu lagi. Dan harus melalui pengadilan. Aku nggak perlu hadir. Setelah semuanya selesai dan aku punya KTP Jakarta, barulah Cat Pil Jakarta mengeluarkan surat rekomendasi yang diminta. Semua proses tersebut makan waktu 7 bulan, dan itupun nggak selesai, karena suamiku udah nggak tahan, dan resign dari perusahaan dimana dia sudah bekerja selama lebih dari 25 tahun sejak dia belum lulus kuliah. Selama 7 bulan suamiku riwa riwi Surabaya Belanda, sebab kerjaan di Belanda udah dimulai. Aku yang di Surabaya, ngurus riwa riwi juga karena dipingpong sana sini, wis capekkkk deh. Makanya aku salutttttt banget dengan kesabaranmu. Yang bikin sesek napas, seorang agen di Belanda yang ditunjuk perusahaan untuk mengurus legal paper buat kami, memberi saran, gimana kalau cerai aja lantas menikah secara Catatan Sipil. Halah....ya jelas ngamuklah bojoku. Ngasih saran kok nggak pake otak. Pernikahan kok dibuat mainan, hanya demi sesuap nasi terus mengorbankan segalanya. Terus orang ini juga bilang, kalaupun belum dapat visa, suamiku kan bisa pulang pergi Belanda Indonesia sampai keluarganya dapet visa. Katanya banyak tuh orang2 yang ngelaju selama pulang pergi kalau weekend. Ngerti geografi nggak sih tuh orang? Dipikirnya, Belanda Indonesia jaraknya kayak Belanda Jerman apa? Sama bojoku dijawab, apa duitnya nenekmu buat mbiayain tiket pulang pergi Belanda Indonesia? Mingkem dah tuh agen nggak bisa ngomong. Lawyer yang ngurusin juga tipe inggah inggih, bukannya kerja pake logika, apa yg diminta oleh departemen2 main kasih aja, terutama duit. Emang sih diganti ama perusahaan, tapi kan nggak gitu caranya. Mentang2 dibayarin perusahaan, terus nyah nyoh ae? Lawyer dodol. Yang bikin aku heran, lawyer tsb ternyata direkomendasikan di sebuah website mixed couple sebagai expertis urusan legal paper. Wong kerjanya nggak profesional blas gitu. Profesional kalau urusan nagih. Dasar pengeretan. Sori deh, jadi ngaco. Kesel banget kalau inget kejadianya.
    Akhirnya kami nggak jadi ke Belanda, balik ke Amrik, bojoku pindah perusahaan baru. Begono ceritanya.

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  13. Congratulations!

    Will never think bad again of the Dutch 'bureaucratie' ;-)

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  14. tita & mer: thank you!

    vonne: yes! we inherit this 'birokrasi' from the colonial era, but while the Dutch has been making it easier and clearer for the citizens, Indonesians are making it more complicated!

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  15. Oh yaa? Payah dong kalo gitu.
    Akte lahir itu emang kok harus ditelusuri dari awal, diperbarui, bla bla.. Dulu aku ketempuhan prosedur ini waktu mulai sekolah di Belanda, dan yg kena repot2 begini bapakku yg tinggal di Jakarta karena akunya sudah menclok di sana.

    Semoga urusannya bisa cepet diberesin ya. Ngerepoti orang sedunia aja..

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  16. ah ! aku kelewatan blogmu yang ini !
    nanti aku komen lagi setelah baca lengkap..

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  17. Padahal kan kita punya akte lahir aslinya yah Tita? Kalau mereka nggak ada datanya, kan akte lahir yg kita pegang bukannya udah cukup? Mustinya pihak Catatan Sipil dong yang repot2 nyari, bukannya kita, wong yang amburadul sistem mereka, kok kita yang disuruh repot. Emang ngerepotin orang sedunia aja tuh.

    Karena akhirnya bojoku resign, nggak jadi berangkat ke Belanda, dan kasusnya otomatis nggak diterusin. Bodonya lagi tuh lawyer, udah dikasih tahu kalau kasusnya nggak usah diterusin karena kami nggak jadi ke Belanda, lha kok surat2 tetep diproses ampe selesai. Dasar gendeng, otaknya otak makelar. Pengen dapet duitnya tuh dan remah remahnya. Sekalian aku kasih tahu nggak ya nama lawyernya di forum ini? Biar pada tahu, jangan pake lawyer tsb. Kasihan orang2 yg nggak tahu, bisa jadi korban berikutnya.

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  18. ah jadi tambah pengen nemuin pak A sama mamaku ! bisa dikeplak dia !

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  19. Mbak Tita.... selamat. Petugas2 yg "lincah" mencari peluang tsb apa ngak mikir yach...minta sesuatu dr orang yg sama2 cari nafkah???

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  20. gefeliciteerd mba, akhirnya beres juga.
    Btw, Mr.A teuteup aja rese..ck..ck..ck...jadi panasaran jiga kumaha jelemana..huahuahuauh..:))

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  21. kalimat pake font merah bener2 bikin lega, selamat ya Taaaa...
    semoga urusan anak2 nggak seruwet sebelumnya. *peluk tita*

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  22. Pff... akhirnya membuahkan hasil.. selamat yaa !!!

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  23. Kasih tahu deh biar seenggaknya gak pake lawyer lelet surelet...

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  24. Titaaaaaa selamaatt yaaa >:D<
    setidaknya sudah satuuu beres yaaakk ... tetep semangeeeett ...

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  25. don't give up. we need to be assertive of our rights, while demanding them with a smile (kalau bisa :)

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  26. Ini nama lawyer & companynya:
    Asep A. Wijaya, S.H.
    Wijaya&Co.
    Mereka juga ada websitenya: www.wijayaco.com. Kesannya emang profesional dan bagus kan, Huh...kesan bisa menipu, sebab pada kenyataannya kerjaannya nggak beres. Kalau nggak dihubungi, mereka nggak menghubungi kita untuk meng up date perkembangan. Kerjaan yg bisa dikerjakan sehari, tahu tahu molor jadi beberapa hari tanpa ada pemberitahuan. Waktu kita cabut kasus kita, eh....malah diterusin ama mereka sampe selesai. Dasar lawyer mental makelar.

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  27. Be strong Tita, kalau gw bilang elu sudah bagus banget utk tdk membiarkan mereka meres uang dari Tita, gw doain deh moga2 semuanya urusannya selesai, jadi tidak usah lagi urusan sama orang2 spt Mr. A.....

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  28. HEBAT......aku sampai urutin satu satu ceritanya ke belakang.....dan aku angkat jempol untuk Tita.....
    Lega ya.....

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