By holding an illegal passport, Nazaruddin would become an illegal foreigner in Vietnam and could be deported to Indonesia as Nazaruddin`s country of origin.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government should immediately inform the Vietnamese authorities that the passport of Nazaruddin is illegal as it had been revoked by the Indonesian immigration office, an international law expert said.

Prof Dr Hikmahanto Juwana, dean of the law faculty of the University of Indonesia, said in a press statement here Monday such a coordination with the Vietnamese government was important so that Vietnam could stop Nazaruddin if he wanted to leave the country.

By holding an illegal passport, Nazaruddin would become an illegal foreigner in Vietnam and could be deported to Indonesia as Nazaruddin`s country of origin, according to Hikmahanto.

He also suggested that the law and human rights ministry as the government`s central authority in this legal case, ask Vietnam for legal assistance as part of the ASEAN Mutual Legal Assistance treaty.

Under the treaty, Indonesia could ask for the assistance of Vietnam to locate Nazaruddin and effect his extradition.

Meanwhile, Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said that former Democrat Party (PD) treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin left Singapore for Vietnam on June 20, 2011, before he was named a corruption suspect and his passport was revoked,

Nazarauddin who is suspected of being involved in bribery linked to a SEA Games athletes village project (in Palembang, South Sumatra) could have gone to Ho Chi Minh city using his passport, the minister said.

Mohammad Nazaruddin was named a suspect in a bribery case in connection with an athletes` village project in Jakabaring, Palembang.

Nazaruddin had left Jakarta for Singapore a day before he a travel ban was imposed on him.

According to Patrialis, the information about Nazaruddin`s departure to Vietnam was the result of an investigation carried out by Indonesian immigration officers in Singapore a few days ago.

The law and human rights ministry then handed over the entire process of Nazaruddin`s return to Indonesia to the national police. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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