On dual citizenship

I recently heard from a good acquaintance that the director of an important foreign-based project, which has its head office in Jakarta, actually possesses an Indonesian passport and also a west European one. When confronted with this fact, the director reportedly stated that it was perfectly all right and that the Indonesian passport was used for entering this country and moving about without encumbrances.

As a native Indonesian I was more than just a little surprised upon hearing this information, because, as far as I know, according to Indonesian law, dual citizenship (Indonesian citizenship and foreign citizenship) is illegal. Have the laws regarding Indonesian citizenships changed recently? Or has this director taken advantage of the regrettable fact that "almost everything in Indonesia can be purchased with money"?

If the latter is the case, then we Indonesians, who have allowed this shameful thing to happen in the first place, should not be surprised if foreigners look down on us and treat us with disregard if not outright contempt.

I would appreciate it if any readers of The Jakarta Postcould provide me with information on this issue.

SOETAMI KOESTOMO Bogor, West Java