---

The attorney of the Relevant Party Paskaria Tombi and Sophar Malu Hutagalung attended the second trial of Sabu Raijua Regent Election Results Dispute, Monday (15/03) in the Court Room. Photo:PR/Ifa.

JAKARTA, PUBLIC RELATIONS - Orient P. Riwu Kore emphasized that he had never applied for a relinquishment of citizenship as an Indonesian citizen (WNI). This was confirmed by Sophar Malu Hutagalung as the attorney for Candidate Pair Number 2 on behalf of Orient Patriot Riwu Kore and M. Thobias Uly (Relevant Party) in Sabu Raijua Regent Election Results Dispute hearing. The case No. 134/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 filed by Herman Lawe Hiku and Marthen Radja, also Sabu Raijua Democracy Community Alliance (AMPEDO) was held on Monday (15/3/2021).

"Orient never submitted an application for relinquishment of Indonesian citizenship. There had never been a report regarding dual nationality up to the election stage and there had never been the official decision document on revocation of citizenship of Orient. Until now, Orient has never proposed to relinquish his citizenship,” said Sophar in a hearing session presided by Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra.

Released the US Citizenship

Sophar also revealed that Orient had revoked his US passport through the US Embassy in Jakarta on August 5, 2020 before the registration as a candidate pair had begun. However, he continued, the US Embassy did not follow up on the relinquishment application because of Covid-19. It was only in February 2021, Orient officially carried out a relinquishment of US citizenship at the US Embassy.

"On February 1, 2021, the US Embassy issued a statement that Orient is a holder of an American passport that does not comply with the law, that on August 5, 2020, the US Embassy should immediately follow up the application because all requirements had been met," said Sophar.

Sophar said that Orient had a United States Green Card because of his marriage back in 2000. Not only that, Orient also worked as an electrician at General Dynamic NASSCO, United States.

"NASSCO works to build combat ships and oil ships for America. Due to the confidential of NASSCO's work, every employee is required to obtain citizenship (US citizenship). So, NASSCO as the company sponsor for Orient takes care of his citizenship. Orient never gave up his Indonesian citizenship," explained Sophar.

Regarding the status of US citizenship that is still attached to him, Orient P. Riwu Kore, who was present online, said that he had submitted all documents to Sabu Raijua General Elections Committee (KPU) at the time of registration.

“There were no objections from any alliance up to the voting stage. KPU and Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) did not ask me regarding the process of relinquishing citizenship," said Orient to the question from Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo regarding why Orient did not explain the process to the election organizers.

There Are Objections

Meanwhile, Bawaslu, represented by Jonixon Hege, said that they received public information about the citizenship status of Orient P. Riwu Kore. Based on this, Bawaslu sent a letter to KPU ordered to research and ensure the validity of the requirements because Orient had lived abroad for a long time. However, KPU did not respond or follow up the letter.

Jonixon said there were objections of Sabu Raijua Democracy Community Alliance to KPU Decree of the 2020 Elected Regent and Deputy Regent. On February 29, 2021, Bawaslu responded to the objection in writing which said that Bawaslu supervision period had a time limit.

"If Sabu Raijua Community Democracy Community Alliance had objections and strong evidence of violations of the elected regents' citizenship status, Bawaslu invited them to report to the relevant legal institutions that have the authority to resolve the issue," said Jonixon.

Have No Legal Standing

Sabu Raijua KPU represented by Periati PR Ginting stated that the Petitioner had no legal standing because they were not the candidate of Sabu Raijua Election. In addition, he also mentioned that the stages of the election were guided by the provisions of Article 5 Paragraph 3 of Law No. 10/2016 which include announcement of registration of candidate pairs, verification, requirements’ research, determination of candidate pairs, campaign implementation, voting, vote counting and recapitulation of vote count results, determination of elected candidates, settlement of election implementation and result disputes, and proposals for endorsement. Periati stated there were no formal defects at any of the process stages.

Periati also said that the Respondent had verified the validity of the documents at the administrative verification stage of the nomination documents and candidate documents in the 2020 election, which until now had never been revoked or canceled by the agency that issued them. "So that the document was legally valid, where the main condition for its issuance was that the citizenship status must be Indonesian citizens," said Periati.

Previously, the Petitioner argued that the Candidate Pair No. 2 Orient Patriot Riwu Kore had United States citizenship. This was officially stated by the US Embassy in Jakarta on February 1, 2021. The Petitioner explained that this information had actually been known by Bawaslu and wrote to KPU (Respondent) on September 5, 2020 to carefully ensure the validity of citizenship of Orient Patriot Riwu Kore. However, the Respondent was inaccurate hence they passed Orient who is a citizen of the United States appointed as an Elected Regent Candidate.

Sabu Raijua KPU appointed Candidate Pair No. 2 Orient P. Riwu Kore and Thobias Uly as the most votes candidate with 21,363 votes, followed by Candidate Pair No. 1 Nikodemus N Rihi Heke-Yohanis Uly Kale with 13,313 votes. Lastly, Candidate Pair No. 3 Takem Irianto Radja Pono-Herman Hegi Radja obtained 9,557 votes. (*)

 

 

Writer: Fuad Subhan
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari
Uploader: Fuad Subhan

Translator: SO
Editor: NL
Managing Editor: Budi Wijayanto

Translation uploaded on 03/15/2021 22.49 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

---