JAKARTA. The Presidential Palace responded on Sunday to rumors that Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arcandra Tahar is a US citizen with State Secretary Pratikno saying that Arcandra is “a holder of an Indonesian passport”.

“We want to confirm that Arcandra is an Indonesian passport holder, and he entered Indonesia using an Indonesian passport,” Pratikno was quoted as saying on Sunday in a release from the presidential press bureau.

Pratikno made the statement after President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo refused to comment during the ceremony of 55th anniversary of the Indonesian Scout Movement (Pramuka) in Jakarta Sunday.

“About that issue, please ask the State Secretary here. Mr. Secretary, please,” Jokowi said as quoted by kompas.com.

Pratikno said Arcandra’s passport was valid until 2017.

“The President himself made a request for [Arcandra] to return to Indonesia. We have many brilliant people abroad who can play an important part in helping their own nation. Moreover, Arcandra has an international qualification,” Pratikno said.

Pratikno, however, did not confirm Arcandra’s citizenship or whether he had made an oath of allegiance to the US. “We will ask the authorities about it,” he said. He said the Presidential Palace had yet to confirm the issue with Arcandra himself.

State law expert Denny Indrayana told thejakartapost.com on Sunday that if Arcandra had a US passport and Indonesian passport and entered Indonesia using his Indonesian passport, he was subject to criminal charges under Indonesian law. “When an Indonesian obtains a US passport, his Indonesian passport is automatically invalid regardless of its expiry date,” Denny said Sunday.

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie