The Constitutional Court Questioned The General Election Supervisory Agency's Steps To Check The Citizenship Status Of The Elected Regent Sabu Raijua

JAKARTA - The Panel of Justices at the Constitutional Court (MK) said that General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu)'s checking the Orient P Riwu Kore's electronic identity card (e-KTP) was considered an incomplete step. Checking the ID Card related to Orient nationality.

"If Bawaslu only asks to check the ID Card, it is only half a step to get clarification and it is not complete", Judge Suhartoyo said at the continued session of the Sabu Raijua Regional Head Election (Pilkada) dispute that was broadcasted by the Constitutional Court virtually quoted by Antara, Monday, March 29.

Suhartoyo also questioned Bawaslu's steps not to ask the local General Election Commission (KPU) for help to check and as well as confirming the dual citizenship status of Orient P Riwu Kore.

According to the Constitutional Court, as state institutions that both hold elections, Bawaslu and KPU should be in one direction and seek information from the United States Embassy regarding suspicions of dual citizenship Orient.

In September 2020, Bawaslu sent a letter to the US Embassy and received a reply only in February 2021. During this time, Bawaslu should continue to the Court to use the authority to clarify.

Moreover, continued Judge Suhartoyo, if it only refers to checking e-KTP, then foreigners can actually have population documents but do not have political rights.

Therefore, checking valid and accurate population data from various sources is a must and an obligation by the election organizer in order to avoid problems such as what happened in Sabu Raijua Regency.

"It should be a unit attached to Bawaslu", he said.

Even though the Orient P Riwu Kore incident was eventually found to have dual citizenship, the constitutional judge asked all parties, especially the KPU and Bawaslu, to make it a lesson material so that it would not be repeated.