Deported boy leaves for S'pore

SURABAYA: Four-year-old Andreya Masaru Miyakoshi and his Indonesian mother, Atik Kristia Yuliani, flew to Singapore yesterday where they are to stay two days before returning to Indonesia.

Andreya, born a Japanese citizen because of the citizenship of his father, Mitsuo Miyakoshi, was deported for overstaying his visa by more than seven months.

Andreya's visa expired in May. His mother, who has lived in Denpasar, Bali, for the last several months, said she delayed reporting the expired visa because she had no money.

The deportation caught the public's attention not only because Andreya was so young but because his parents were airing their dirty linen in public.

The directorate general of immigration of the Ministry of Justice in a press release yesterday denied it was acting inhumanely by deporting Andreya. "We have been acting very humanely by not bringing him to court and not preventing him from reentering Indonesia," the office said.

Officials have said that not only could Andreya's permits be renewed and extended several times, he could also apply for Indonesian citizenship after he turned 18. (27/swe)