Potential Penalties For The Elected Regent Of Sabu Raijua Who Turns Out To Be A US Citizen

JAKARTA - The General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) of Sabu Raijua Regency has received the fact that the elected regent of Sabu Raijua, Orient Patriot Riwu Kore, is actually a citizen of the United States (US).

In fact, Article 7 of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning the regional election states that the requirements to become candidates for the regional head are Indonesian citizens (WNI).

Based on a report from the East Nusa Tenggara General Election Commission (KPU), Orient submitted the requirements for population data, namely an electronic ID card as an Indonesian citizen when registering as a candidate for Regent of Sabu Raijua in September 2020.

Orient's population data has also been verified to the Department of Population and Civil Registration (Disdukcapil) Kupang City. As a result, the Department of Population and Civil Registration Kupang confirmed that Orient was a resident of Kupang City.

"The General Election Commission of Sabu Raijua followed up by clarifying the agency that issued the document. In a joint clarification report, it was stated that Orient was indeed an Indonesian citizen, whose address corresponds to the ID card", Ilham told reporters, Tuesday, February 2.

During the registration process, the General Election Supervisory Agency of Sabu Raijua has also cross-checked Orient's citizenship status with the Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Immigration Office and the United States Embassy in Jakarta since September 10, 2020.

After a while, Orient, who was paired with Thobias Uly, won the most votes in the election for the Regent-Deputy Regent of Sabu Raijua with 48.3 percent of the votes. They have been appointed as regent and vice-regent elected by the General Election Commission.

Until finally, the US Embassy just replied to General Election Supervisory Agency's letter on February 1, 2021. As a result, the US Embassy stated that Orient was a US citizen.

"Based on the reply letter, the United States Embassy in Jakarta informed that Orient Patriot Riwu Kowe is indeed an American citizen", said Head of General Election Supervisory Agency Sabu Raijua, Yudi Tagi Utama in his statement.

Suspected document falsification

Seeing this case, Member of the Board of Trustees of Perludem, Titi Anggraini, thought that Orient had suspected of falsifying population documents in order to be able to run as a candidate for district head.

Because currently, Orient has two citizenships, namely Indonesian citizen and the US citizen when his residency status was checked. In fact, Indonesia prohibits its citizens from having dual citizenship.

"When the data is in the Department of Population and Civil Registration, it means that he is giving false information. He is a foreigner but admits that he is an Indonesian citizen or having dual citizenship. Meanwhile, the Citizenship Law states that if he has another nationality, he will automatically terminate his Indonesian citizen status", said Titi to VOI.

Potential for up to six years imprisonment

If proven to have forged documents, Orient could be charged with imprisonment. Based on Article 184 of Law Number 1 of 2015, it is stated that any person who deliberately provides false information or uses a fake letter as if it were a valid letter about something necessary for the requirements to become a candidate for regional head shall be punished with the shortest imprisonment. 36 months and a maximum of 72 months (6 years) and a fine of at least IDR 36 million and a maximum of IDR 72 million.

"He (Orient) can be sued according to Article 184. Because it could be that his residence document was issued officially by the Department of Population and Civil Registration, but the way he obtained it was in a way that did not meet the requirements". said Titi.