Jakarta, Indonesia
Reuters
An Indonesian court on Monday rejected challenges from both losing candidates seeking a re-run of February’s presidential election and the disqualification of winner Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, bringing an end to all election disputes.
The Constitutional Court ruled that there was no evidence of systematic fraud and presidential “meddling”, nor that state bodies, regional officials and social assistance had been mobilised to sway polls in the world’s third-largest democracy.
Judges deliver the verdict on two challenges to the outcome of February’s presidential election after losing candidates petitioned for a re-run and alleged the state had interfered in favour of winner Prabowo Subianto, at the Constitutional Court building in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 22nd April, 2024. PICTURE: Reuters/Willy Kurniawan
“The plaintiff’s petition has no legal basis in its entirety,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo, announcing the decision for one former candidate, ex-Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan. The other former candidate to dispute the result was Ganjar Pranowo, a former Central Java governor.
Five judges ruled in favour of rejecting both petitions, with three dissenting opinions, he said.
The Constitutional Court’s decisions are final and binding and representatives of both former candidates said they would respect the ruling.
Otto Hasibuan, a lawyer for Prabowo’s camp, said the ruling was “a victory for all Indonesians”.
Prabowo is scheduled to take office in October, replacing the hugely popular President Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi.
The presidential palace respected the ruling and will help support the transition of the president-elect, palace spokesperson Ari Dwipayana said.
State interference
Anies and Ganjar had both separately alleged there was state interference to favour Prabowo, who won by a huge margin. They had also complained that Prabowo’s running mate, the current president’s 36-year-old son, should not have been allowed to take part.
In court, they had sought Prabowo’s disqualification, arguing the government’s widespread distribution of social aid, including handouts of rice, cash and fertiliser, in key areas had swayed the vote in his favour.
The administration and Prabowo rejected the allegations. During the court hearings, cabinet members denied that the aid had swayed voters while Prabowo, who won 58 per cent of the vote, has dismissed the claim as baseless.
Judge Arief Hidayat, who cast one of the dissenting votes, argued that the President and state agencies lacked neutrality.
Anies and Ganjar, who won about 25 per cent and 16 per cent of votes respectively, had also alleged that tacit support from Jokowi had gifted Prabowo an unfair advantage.
A protester carries a banner that reads “The Constitutional Court please save this nation and state through decisions that stand with the truth,” while sitting during a protest as a court in Indonesia will deliver its verdict on two challenges to the outcome of February’s presidential election after losing candidates petitioned for a re-run and alleged the state had interfered in favour of winner Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 22nd April, 2024. PICTURE: Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
Jokowi came under intense scrutiny in the election run-up, with critics alleging he abused his position to favour Prabowo, with the aim of preserving his legacy after a decade in charge of South-East Asia’s biggest economy.
The losing candidates also complained to the Constitutional Court about the inclusion of Jokowi’s son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as Prabowo’s running mate, which was enabled by a decision in October by the same court to change eligibility rules.
The chief justice at the time was Jokowi’s brother-in-law, who was later reprimanded by an ethics panel for allowing intervention from an unspecified “external party”. He was barred from involvement in election-related cases.
Despite the ethical violation, the judges said on Monday there was no evidence of nepotism or presidential intervention in relation to that decision.
