All parties have been asked to maintain a favorable atmosphere during the Constitutional Court’s review of the election dispute, which begins tomorrow. The court will work professionally and openly in hearing the election petition submitted by the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno candidate pair.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS — All parties have been asked to maintain a favorable atmosphere during the Constitutional Court’s review of the election dispute, which begins tomorrow. The court will work professionally and openly in hearing the election petition submitted by the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno candidate pair.
Following the preliminary hearing on Friday (14/6/2019), the Constitutional Court will continue the hearings on June 17-21. The court is to issue its decision on June 28.
Constitutional Court chief justice Anwar Usman said on Wednesday (12/6) at the court that nine constitutional justices would hear the election dispute (PHPU). Anwar said he had prayed specially to prepare for the hearing. "So, I prayed to God, with hope, not [about] who will be President. Not only that, but [that] this NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia] remains intact, that is important," he said.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) announced on May 21 the results of the 2019 elections. Joko Widodo-Ma\'ruf Amin garnered 55.50 percent of the vote and Prabowo-Sandi 44.50 percent. Under the Election Law, the election participants can file an election petition with the Constitutional Court.
No need for rallies
Ahead of the hearing, a number of figures appealed to the public to avoid any mass gatherings at the Constitutional Court. In a video, Prabowo also asked his supporters not to go to the court during the election dispute hearings.
Constitutional Court justice and spokesman I Dewa Gede Palguna said that demonstrations were unnecessary, “since we examine cases independently and impartially based on the evidence presented during the hearings”.
Palguna added that the public everywhere could watch the hearings, not only on television, but also through a livestream channel on YouTube.
Prabowo-Sandi National Winning Body (BPN) spokesman Andre Rosiade called on its supporters to abide by Prabowo\'s appeal. "If you consider Pak Prabowo and Bang Sandi as leaders, Prabowo-Sandi supporters must obey Pak Prabowo\'s appeal," he said.
Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko welcomed Prabowo\'s statement and said that Prabowo-Sandi supporters must therefore follow Prabowo’s call.
National Police public relations head Sr. Comr. Asep Adi Saputra said that around 32,000 police officers and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel had been deployed to secure the hearing. Asep said that the demonstration that led to the May 21-22 riots at the Bawaslu in Jakarta was a lesson for the National Police to improve prevention. One such measure was to call on the public to avoid protesting at the Constitutional Court to minimize the potential for “outsiders” who sought to take advantage of the action.
Investigation
Regarding the investigation into the deaths of nine suspected rioters during the May 21-22 riots, Asep said the police had encountered difficulties in ascertaining where the victims had been killed. "Because the victims, allegedly rioters, were all taken to the hospital immediately. So we need to track down where the victims fell and died, because this is an important starting point for the investigation," he said.
The government also stressed its commitment to publicize the results of the police investigation.
"We will release it publicly so that the people will understand and also to minimize speculations and hoaxes," said Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto.
The investigation Wiranto referred to covers at least three points. First, the May 21-22 riots. Second, the illegal weapons allegedly connected to TNI Maj. Gen. (ret.) Soenarko. Third, the illegal weapon connected to a plan to kill several national figures.
Separately, Indonesian Ombudsman official Ninik Rahayu said the office would begin an investigation into the security procedures for the mass demonstration on May 21-22. For this reason, it had invited representatives of the National Police, the TNI, hospitals and medical workers who were involved in the incident for questioning starting on Thursday.