Prevent Indonesian Citizenship Missing Children, Ministry Of Law And Human Rights Checks Indonesian Citizen-Wna Mixed Marriage Data In South Sumatra

Illustration of e-KTP that only Indonesian citizens have. (Between)

SUMSEL - The result of a mixed marriage of Indonesian citizens (WNI) and foreign nationals (WNA) is being recorded in South Sumatra (Sumsel). The data collection was carried out by the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) of South Sumatra.

The Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of South Sumatra, Ilham Djaya, said the move was to overcome the problem of children losing Indonesian citizenship from the results of mixed marriages.

"To collect data and search for children resulting from mixed marriages, Immigration officers coordinated with the local Population and Civil Registration Office," he said in Palembang, South Sumatra, Friday, January 20, as reported by Antara.

According to him, data collection and the search for children resulting from the marriage of Indonesian citizens and foreigners is a commitment by his party to realize the legal certainty of citizenship status.

Then according to the direction of the Director of State Administration, the Directorate General of General Legal Administration of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Baroto and the policies set out in PP No. 21 of 2022.

Through this policy, it is hoped that it will be able to attract skilled Indonesian children who have a great sense of love for Indonesia to contribute to the nation and state.

"Children who have potential, talents and expertise in certain fields will be able to become national assets as well as superior and competitive resources in realizing the progress of the Indonesian nation in the future," he said.

He explained that citizenship issues are often in the spotlight regarding citizenship status for children resulting from mixed marriages and the issue of loss of citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia.

Through coordination and the existence of Government Regulation No. 21 of 2022, children's problems resulting from mixed marriages and children losing citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia can be resolved as an effort to care for the progress of the nation through optimizing the potential of human resources, competence, and skills possessed by children resulting from mixed marriages.

"We hope that the results of this coordination will be a solution for the issue of citizenship status which is an obstacle for the ranks of the South Sumatra Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regional Office," said Ilham.

Sementara sebelumnya Direktur Tata Negara, Baroto dalam rapat koordinasi dengan jajaran Kanwil Kemenkumham Sumsel menjelaskan bahwa melalui penetapan PP No 21 Tahun 2022 oleh Presiden Joko Widodo pada t 31 Mei 2022, merupakan bentuk kehadiran negara dalam memberikan perlindungan dan kepastian hukum bagi anak-anak hasil pernikahan campuran dan anak-anak yang lahir di negara Ius Soli (kerajaan anak akan diberikan jika anak tersebut lahir di negara yang memasuai asas ius soli).

"Where are children born before the enactment of Law Number 12 of 2006 concerning Citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia (The Indonesian Citizenship Law) who did not register as children with dual citizenship and children born before the enactment of the Indonesian Citizenship Law which had registered but did not or was late in choosing citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia until the specified time limit ended," he said.

Baroto explained, with the enactment of Government Regulation No. 21 of 2022, children who are registered neither or late in choosing their citizenship and children who do not register as children with dual citizenship will be given the opportunity to be able to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia through a citizenship application mechanism to the President, which was submitted to the Minister of Law and Human Rights within two years since this PP was promulgated.

"We hope that the main amendments in PP No. 21 of 2022 can overcome the problems we face in implementing the laws and regulations of the Republic of Indonesia," said Broto.