If Proven To Be A US Citizen, The Elected Regent Sabu Raijua Is Threatened With Being "expelled" From Indonesia

Director General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Prof. Zudan Arif Fakrulloh (Photo: Ministry of Home Affairs Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) is reviewing the citizenship status of the elected regent of Sabu Raijua Regency, Orient Patriot Riwu Kore, who is said to be a citizen of the United States (US).

Director General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Ministry of Home Affairs Prof. Dr. Zudan Arif Fakrulloh said that checking the citizenship status was carried out with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

"Regarding the citizenship status of Orient P. Riwu Kore, the result of coordination with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is that his citizenship status is still under assessment to determine that the person concerned is still an Indonesian citizen or has become a foreigner," Zudan said in his statement, Wednesday, February 3.

If Orient is proven to have United States citizenship without giving up his status as an Indonesian citizen (WNI), his residency data will be revoked. So, he could no longer live in Indonesia.

"If it is proven that Orient Riwu Kore is a foreigner, his KK and e-KTP will be canceled by the Dukcapil Service," he said.

Previously, the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) of Sabu Raijua Regency received the fact that the elected regent of Sabu Raijua, Orient Patriot Riwu Kore, was actually a US citizen.

In fact, Article 7 of Law Number 10 of 2016 concerning Pilkada, the requirement to become a candidate for regional head is an Indonesian citizen (WNI).

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

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

During the registration process, Bawaslu Sabu Raijua has also cross-checked Orient's citizenship status with the Head of the NTT Provincial Immigration Office and the United States Embassy in Jakarta since September 10, 2020.

After time, 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 regents and deputy regents elected by the KPU.

Until finally, the US Embassy just replied to Bawaslu'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 Bawaslu Sabu Raijua, Yudi Tagi Utama in his statement.