(12/15/2007)
An undetected photographic and sound recording of a recent traffic stop by Bali Police has become front page news in Bali. The film, made by two young Canadian travelers from Nova Scotia, apparently shows a direct pay off to a uniformed police officer following the pair's inability to produce a valid driver's license, was eventually posted on YouTube.com and included a close-up of the young Canadian sardonically closing the clip by proclaiming "and that was Indonesian justice."
The YouTube.com segments which has been downloaded more than 47,000 times since its initial posting, opens with an inverted image as the two young tourists are invited into a street-side police sub-station where a traffic violation was settled with a cash payment. With the face of the officer and the license plate of the rented motorbike clearly visible, it's expected that police will have little trouble tracing down the officer for questioning.
In reviewing the video, NusaBali concluded the "pay-off" recorded on tape and broadcast to the world recorded a set of circumstances that were unfortunately all too familiar to the Indonesian public.
The officer shown on the tape using broken English offered the two young Canadians the option of paying a fine "on the spot" or facing the daunting prospects of a prolonged appearance before a local magistrate. The fine offered and accepted by the police officer without any apparent paperwork was Rp. 50,000 (US$5.40).
Police continue to investigate the incident.
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