Ministry Defends Decision to Naturalize Another One of Foreign Footballers

TheIndonesia.id - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights has defended a recent decision made by the Indonesian government to authorize the naturalization of one Dutch football player, saying it is for the good of national football.

Deputy Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej said the naturalization process is given the green light because it is seen as a beneficial option for Indonesian football.

“The government backs the idea to grant citizenship proposed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the hope that it can advance the national football team,” Hiariej said during a meeting with the House of Representatives and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) on Wednesday, November 9, as reported by Antara.

The session saw the House agreeing to the naturalization of 24-year-old Shayne Elian Jay Pattynama, a Dutch football player who is expected to join Indonesia national football team shortly after the process completes.

Playing for Norwegian club Viking FK, Pattynama’s father is of Maluku descent and was born in Semarang, Central Java.

Meanwhile, Baroto, an official from the Ministry’s directorate general of legal administration, underlined that naturalization is quite a complicated process and won’t be done recklessly because it must meet the requirements set out by Law No. 12/2006.

Based on law, Indonesian citizenship can be granted to foreign individuals on the basis of state interest or extraordinary services.

Prior to Pattynama, authorities has also authorized the naturalization of two footballers: Spain-born Jordi Amat as well as Sandy Walsh who was born in Brussels, Belgium.