Two Stateless Youths Appeal to Law Minister for Indonesian Citizenship
Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas has instructed that all complaints regarding citizenship issues, particularly those involving stateless individuals, must be promptly addressed provided all requirements are met. The instruction was given during the first session of the ‘Pasti Ada Solusi Bersama Menteri Hukum’ (There is Definitely a Solution with the Law Minister) programme, organised by the Directorate General of General Legal Administration (AHU) on Friday.
The complaint was filed by Joshua Made Mahayana and Jordan Putu Mahayana, who requested the restoration of their Indonesian citizenship. The two brothers claimed they lost their citizenship status due to administrative problems related to dual citizenship. Responding to the case, Supratman immediately ordered his staff to accelerate the handling of similar cases to prevent recurrence. ‘I ask the Director General of AHU and the Director of State Administration to ensure cases like this do not keep happening. If it is confirmed that the individuals are truly stateless and all requirements have been met, process it immediately. We will facilitate it,’ Supratman stressed.
Joshua explained that he and his brother were born in Australia but have lived in Bali since they were three months old. They attended school from kindergarten through to senior high school in Indonesia and possess Indonesian identity cards (KTP), family cards (KK), and driving licences (SIM). ‘With all humility, I request the Minister of Law to restore our Indonesian citizenship status. We have lived in Bali since we were three months old, attended school from kindergarten to high school in Indonesia, and hold KTP, KK, and SIM. We only ask for your help, Mr Minister, so that we can obtain Indonesian passports,’ Joshua stated. When asked about their current citizenship status, Joshua confirmed they are stateless, possessing no citizenship.
Joshua said he learned about the programme through the Ministry of Law’s social media and subsequently registered the complaint before travelling to Jakarta to present the matter in person. The Director of State Administration at AHU, Abdul Muis, explained that Joshua and Jordan were essentially children with dual citizenship, having been born in Australia to Indonesian parents. However, the opportunity to regain Indonesian citizenship through the mechanism of Government Regulation Number 21 of 2022 expired in May 2024. ‘We understand that Joshua and Jordan are essentially Indonesian citizens. The issue is that the regulation prevented them from utilising the facility, which expired in May 2024,’ Abdul Muis said. He added that the government has prepared another mechanism to provide legal certainty for stateless individuals. ‘Through the Minister of Law’s policy, there is a facility for affirming citizenship for those who are genuinely stateless. This mechanism can be used so that Joshua and Jordan can be legally recognised as Indonesian citizens,’ he explained.
Joshua further revealed his reasons for choosing Indonesian citizenship, stating that Indonesia is where he grew up and the country he wishes to build together with his brother. ‘I love Indonesia. I have lived here since I was little, I love Indonesian food and culture. We also want to apply the knowledge we gained in Australia to develop the quality of human resources in Bali and Indonesia. We see a very bright future for Indonesia in the next five to ten years,’ Joshua said.