Regarding Dual Citizens, DPR Calls "Segar Winds" For Revision Of The Citizenship Law

FC Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes while taking the oath to become an Indonesian citizen at the DKI Jakarta Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Tuesday, (30/4/2024). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The House of Representatives Calls Luhut's offer regarding 'Agin Segar' Doubles Citizens for the Revision of the Citizenship Law Member of Commission I of the House of Representatives Christina Aryani responded to the statement by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, who offered dual citizenship for the talented Indonesian diaspora. The member of the Indonesian House of Representatives representing the foreign electoral district said that Luhut's offer gave a breath of fresh air for the revision of the Citizenship Law which was already included in the 2019-2024 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). "Of course, a political will is needed from the Government so that the preparation and discussion of the revision of this citizenship law can be pushed in the DPR RI," said Aryani, a journalist's class, Thursday, May 2. Aryani explained that currently, Law 12 of 2006 concerning Citizenship adheres to the principle of dual citizenship limited, namely providing dual citizenship limited to children born from mixed marriages or one of their parents is a foreign citizen (WNA) until the child is 18 years old. Where next should choose which citizenship he will release. "For this election process, the law provides a deadline for 3 years, or until the child concerned is 21 years old," he explained. In fact, Aryani continued, so far, Indonesia has lost quite a lot of talented talents or those who work abroad as scientists, academics, professionals or children resulting from mixed marriage and then choose to release his Indonesian citizenship for various reasons.

"This phenomenon is known as a drainage brain," he said. According to Aryani, the advantage that Indonesia can get from the application of dual citizenship is to prevent the phenomenon of the drainage brain. Indonesia, he said, will still have talented human resources, which of course requires its contribution to achieve the development of Indonesia Gold 2045.

"Although it still needs further study, the contribution of diaspora with dual citizenship to economic growth also has the opportunity to increase as has happened in several countries that have implemented dual citizenship," said the Golkar legislator, saying that the aspirations of dual citizenship have long been fought for by Indonesian diaspora abroad and also the mixed marriage community. Therefore, the way to make it happen is through the revision of the Citizenship Law.

"And the statement of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries provides fresh air to the aspirations of the citizens", he concluded. Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan offered dual citizenship for talented Indonesian diaspora. He mentioned people who have become citizens of the United States (US).

Reported by the Associated Press on his YouTube channel, Luhut explained that in 2029, Indonesia will have nearly 3,000 young people who are ready to work as software developers. Indonesia will not lack human resources to work on software cases.

"However, we also invite the Indonesian diaspora to give them immediately: dual citizenship. So maybe they have become American citizens (Brushes), but they are eligible to get Indonesian citizenship," Luhut said during his opening speech at the Microsoft Build: AI Day event at JCC, Jakarta, Tuesday, April 30.