April 2009 - Big signs clearly display strict taxi regulations. Only taxi's newer than 12 years with an argometer, airconditioning and a well-dressed driver with identity card can go here. Nice regulations but unfortunately there is not a single person that sticks to it. The island of Batam, directly under the city-state of Singapore, was supposed to become a showcase for the Indonesian economy. Nowadays however, the island should not be named special. It looks like a standard place in Indonesia with gloomy ruko and empty buildings.
