Choice of being Malaysian or Indonesian
Published on: Friday, November 30, 2018
Tawau: The offspring of a marriage between an Indonesian and Malaysian have the right to choose whether to be Indonesian or Malaysian when they reach 18 and up to 21. "Children born from such mixed marriages are automatically Indonesian but also have the right to choose which nationality they prefer when they reach 18 and up to 21. We call them children with limited double nationalities," said a Ministry official who only wished to be known as Shanti. Shanti is Vice Director for Directorate of Marriage and Divorce Registration Facilities, Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Indonesia.
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She said, in principle, Indonesian law states that those born of mixed marriage involving both countries have the right to dual nationality before they reach 18.Shanti together with eight officers from Jakarta are here to register marriages. Priests from Tawau and Nunukan, Indonesia are also present.She said the Indonesian Consulate here is the first to provide assistance to Indonesians facing problems related to nationalities and status of identities.However, she said so far the Consulate had yet to provide a facility to register couples with different nationalities such as Indonesians and Filipinos who are married in Sabah.
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Shanti said registration of marriage between Indonesians and Filipinos would depend on the location of marriage. If the marriage is registered in Indonesia, then the couple also need to get permission from the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta."Here, the principle is also the same as in Indonesia because the Indonesia representatives' offices have laws that need to be complied with to register marriages," she said.
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Shanti said Indonesia is actively implementing Registration of Birth Act for Indonesians overseas with the launch of a portal from its Foreign Ministry.She advised Indonesians abroad not to be hesitant to register their whereabouts at the Indonesia representative offices so that protection can be provided once their data are in the database system.Some 200 couples and 500 children registered their marriages and births under the programme organised by the Indonesian Consulate for their citizens who are Christians and Catholics.Consulate chief delegate Sulistijo Djati Ismojo said the couples came from Tawau and neighbouring districts of Kunak, Semporna and Lahad Datu.He pointed out that this year alone, there are 110,000 Indonesian workers in Tawau but many have not registered their marriage or their children's birth with the consulate."This has caused a problem because even though their marriage is legal according to their religion and beliefs, they are not, as far as civil law is concerned," he said, adding that the registration is also important to prevent issues with their children's citizenship rights.As for Muslim couples, Sulistijo said the consulate would organise a registration exercise some other time as it had been done five times previously since 2012.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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