Borderless Fog (Kabut Berduri)

THE STORY TAKES PLACE

AT THE INDONESIA-MALAYSIA BORDER

IN BORNEO ISLAND,

HOME TO DAYAKNESE, MALAY, AND CHINESE.

FROM 1967 TO 1990, THE INDONESIAN AND MALAYSIAN MILITARY WORKED TOGETHER

WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN THE OPERATION TO DEFEAT

THE PARAKU COMMUNIST FORCES. ONE OF THE PARAKU LEADERS, AMBONG,

SUCCESSFULLY ESCAPED AND IS SAID TO HIDE IN THE FOREST AS A GHOST.

UNTIL NOW, THE AREA NEAR THE BORDER

IS STILL HAUNTED BY NEVER-ENDING VIOLENCE.

INDONESIA-MALAYSIA BORDER BORNEO ISLAND

- Thanks. - Sure.

Anyone else wants coffee?

- Me, please. - Okay.

- There's the money. - What did you have?

- Coffee. Yes. - Just coffee?

BEWARE, COUNTERFEIT MONEY

- -

- - Oh, my gosh!

BORDERLESS FOG

Excuse me, ma'am.

We didn't stop for breakfast, so you must be rather hungry.

Oh, well, thank you.

20 YEARS OF TRAGIC ETHNICITY CONFLICT IN SAMPIT

21 centimeters, sir.

That puts it on your side of the border.

So this is an Indonesian matter.

It's not our business.

Have you measured from the official side of the border?

Your border point keeps changing.

You can see from his uniform. He's one of yours.

Anyone could've bought a uniform.

He could've got it in Malaysia.

So tell me then.

Do we handle it? As usual?

- I'll look after it. - Okay.

Maybe he's already escaped to Malaysia.

The Malaysian police will do nothing.

The crime's on our side of the border.

An Indonesian victim.

Not a civilian.

So it's complicated.

But apparently, they're sending

a hotshot detective from Jakarta.

Inspector Sanja Arunika,

at your service.

Inspector Panca Nugraha.

Nice glasses.

Very fashionable.

Very kind. Perhaps you should try some.

Here.

The head and the torso are from two different persons.

VICTIM NO. 1, THORIQ HERDIAN

The head is identified as First Sergeant Thoriq Herdian.

He lived at the battalion boarding house and was assigned on border patrol.

And the body, Inspector Panca?

A Dayak activist was reported missing six weeks ago now.

His name was Juwing.

I-I'm sorry. Officer Thomas, ma'am.

Care to explain why you assumed it was him?

Of course.

VICTIM NO. 2, JUWING

Only the Dayak people have these tattoos.

His shirtless picture was widely publicized

during the recent demonstrations.

Has the family verified this?

Obviously not.

We are short on manpower.

Officer Thomas, you stay with Inspector Sanja.

I have paperwork to do. Good luck.

Thank you very much.

We found traces of fertilizer in his jacket and his pants.

Palm plantation fertilizer.

And his head and body?

Interesting.

His body was injected with preservatives.

Estimated time of death... about a month ago.

- And what do you think happened? - Sorry?

The back of the head. One blow with a blunt object.

Maybe a rock.

And because he didn't collapse immediately,

the killer hit him repeatedly.

The killer fought back. Throwing sand at him.

- And then beheaded him. -

No.

The beheading was done post-mortem. Done after the victim was dead.

It was a clean job. Two swings at most.

- - I won't ask you again.

I demand to see Apay Juwing's body!

You people make me sick.

- Why can't you do your job? -

I want to see my husband, whatever his condition!

You shitty police can't silence us!

You are responsible for this.

You ignored our reports.

It's no use, Indai.

They might be the killers themselves.

- Calm down now. We're... - You're what?

Relieved? Now that my uncle is finally silenced?

My poor darling.

- -

The roof is intact.

It seems the body may have been up there all night of July 17th.

And then fell off the roof the next morning.

The keeper of the diner said the body fell from the sky.

And you believe her?

The rantings of a distraught teenage girl?

I do.

Okay.

So the body fell from the heavens, did it?

Have you checked this tree?

VISITORS MUST REPORT

Mr. Bujang, were you on duty on July the 17th?

Yes, I was here with Raymond.

SECURITY GUARD POST MR. BUJANG'S PALM PLANTATION

Have you seen this man? Here.

Ah.

I think he often goes to Koh Haris's drink stall.

But everybody here goes there.

- And he's still a communist? - Yes.

As Ambong says, "Once a communist, always a communist."

And who is Ambong?

Ah.

Ambong is our communist ghost.

I'll make you some coffee.

- -

- Sugar, Mr. Thomas? - Thanks.

Is there a place to process all these palms near here?

No. They were building a factory for that many years ago.

But with all the fraud and corruption, the factory was never finished.

Thank you.

So now it's all sold to Sarawak, which is close.

I see. So the factory you're talking about,

is that it over there?

Yes, ma'am.

It's been standing there forever.

Nothing but a ghost town now.

Once or twice a month, you can hear a ghost there.

Voices. Girls' voices.

I could swear

it's the voices of the children killed by the communists.

- When was the last time? - I forget.

But... oh yeah, it was a full moon.

Ooh, a full moon, was it?

Perhaps it was a ghostly boar.

Maybe a real boar. Maybe we should check it out.

Take it home to the farm.

Thank you for your time and for the nice coffee.

Yeah.

And thank you too, Mr. Raymond.

Hey, hey, police lady.

I'm willing to do anything to help.

Sure, okay.

You can reach me directly on this number here.

- Ah, very good. -

You were right, Inspector. The branch broke not long ago.

Yes.

Due to something heavy, and the body was suspended there,

but what for?

The killer saw a connection between these two men.

That's why he attached them together.

But what's the connection?

POLICE STATION, NANGA JUGAM REGION

- - Yes?

Ah, here she is. The inspector from Jakarta.

Hello, sir.

Ah, I've heard so much about you.

Hello, Ms. Sanja.

Wow. So pretty.

And how can I help you?

We just wanted to pay you a friendly visit.

Make sure everything goes well and is organized.

As we're all aware,

it's an important case for our institution.

Oh. I thought we were being raided. So many people.

Um, thank you, I'm sure you mean well.

Regarding the follow-up,

why not wait until we finish the job?

Though I expect you will know all you need to

through your men over there.

And as for the institution's image, that's not your job, sir.

Your father asked me to look out for you.

"Keep an eye on her," he said.

I know how you hate special treatment.

So please, do your job well.

If this gets too much for you,

you contact me.

And you can slip out quietly,

like before.

Oh, yes...

be careful.