Arcandra Tahar: The American Passport was to Take Care of Patents

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Arcandra Tahar finds the media to be a nuisance. The former energy and mineral resources minister said that he had avoided speaking to reporters since he was first appointed to the cabinet and later when his citizenship problem became public news.

However, this changed on Wednesday last week. After the ceremony to lower the national flag on Independence Day at the State Palace, Arcandra decided to meet a few reporters for a long chat. "I feel I have sinned by not answering the questions of reporters who were only doing their job," Arcandra said.

In order to clarify the buzz surrounding his citizenship, Arcandra met with Tempo reporters Arif Zulkifli, Setri Yasra, Sunudyantoro and Dini Pramita at the official residence of the minister in South Jakarta last week. Excerpts of the two-hour interview:

Did you lie when you refused to admit you once held an American passport?

My God, I never lied. Regarding my citizenship, please ask the justice and human rights ministry. I leave it to them. I am not a legal expert, and I am afraid I might give the wrong answer.

How did you obtain an American passport?

After earning a doctorate at Texas A&M University, I received an offer from Ed Horton, an inventor and master teacher for deep-sea oil and gas drilling technologies. Those who work in this field surely know who he is. Since interacting with Ed Horton, I handled many strategic technology projects because I worked directly with Ed Horton. There, I discovered a number of deep-sea oil drilling technologies. I took the initiative to register the patents. Because this was linked to strategic projects and national security, there was an administrative condition that I must be an American citizen to patent my inventions.

Did you have to become an American citizen in order to take care of patents?

This was connected to strategic technology, so I could not obtain the patents if I did not become an American citizen. However, I made it a condition that I had to be able to continue holding my Indonesian passport.

You had a written agreement to that effect?

Yes. US law allows it. I am still of the conviction that I am an Indonesian, with Indonesian citizenship, holding an Indonesian passport.

What was the basis requiring patent holders to be US citizens?

Strategic technology sometimes requires security clearance.

This means it made it easier for you to obtain an American passport?

That was an administrative condition. Clearly, I asked that my Indonesian passport be left alone.

Did you not know or not remember that Indonesia does not recognize dual citizenship?

Perhaps I was ignorant. If I say I didn't know, I will sound stupid. However, I believed that by holding on to an Indonesian passport that I am still an Indonesian citizen.

When Jokowi asked you to become a minister, did Jokowi know you held dual citizenship?

I had explained it to the justice and human rights minister. You can ask him. (*)

Read the full interview in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine