RI holds breath as election ruling looms

JAKARTA. Mindful of heightened tensions in Jakarta as the nation awaits the Constitutional Court ruling on the July 9 presidential election dispute, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono decided on Wednesday to delay his trip to Papua, opting to stay in the capital city to monitor the situation.

Originally scheduled to leave Thursday morning, Yudhoyono postponed the trip to West Papua where he had planned to open the Sail Raja Ampat international maritime event.

Yudhoyono was also scheduled to visit the West Papuan towns of Sorong and Manokwari ahead of a state visit to Dili, Timor Leste, before returning to Denpasar, Bali.

On Wednesday afternoon, the President assembled several ministers, including Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi and Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto, as well as National Police chief Gen. Sutarman and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko for a closed-door meeting to discuss the impending court ruling.

Gamawan said, however, that Yudhoyono had not convened the meeting out of a concern for potential security threats.

“From the initial reports, [we have concluded that] there is nothing worrying that could jeopardize national stability,” Gamawan said.

“The postponement of the trip is because Yudhoyono’s responsibility is to maintain the situation. We [the government] are very neutral.”

Sutarman also played down the possibility of rioting.

“No, there is no new situation developing,” he said. “God willing, there will be no such thing [as rioting].”

The nine justices of the court are set to deliver their ruling on the petition filed by losing presidential ticket Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa that challenges the General Elections Commission’s (KPU) naming of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Jusuf Kalla as the winners of the presidential election.

The ruling will be issued amid concerns that the losing ticket might not accept defeat.

On Tuesday, one of Prabowo’s team of lawyers, Habiburokhman, said that Prbowo’s side could not be held responsible for any action taken by disappointed supporters, many of whom have stepped up street protests in the past few days.

Separately, court secretary-general Janedjri M. Gaffar said that as of Wednesday, none of the nine justices had been subjected to external pressure and that all had agreed to deliver the ruling on Thursday.

“God willing, the announcement will not be delayed,” he said, adding that deadlock during the meeting where the nine justices were drafting their decision was unlikely.

“First, the bench will try to create consensus and if they fail to do so, they will take a vote,” he said.

A member of Prabowo’s legal team, Elza Syarief, suspected that the panel of justices had been intimidated to rule in favor of a certain presidential ticket.

“The justices are human after all. They have fear, they have interests and maybe have [experienced] intimidation,” she said on Wednesday. “So let’s just pray that the panel of justices is able to make the right decision.”

Elza also argued that her team had made a convincing case, presenting sufficient evidence and witness testimony to prove its allegations of massive and systematic fraud in the presidential election. Those claims, which include allegations of fraudulent voter mobilization, are believed by the Prabowo team to be the reason for the KPK’s decision to grant victory to the Jokowi-Kalla ticket.

Elza also demanded the Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) find KPU officials, including chairman Husni Kamil Manik, guilty of violating ethics codes.

The council is also expected to deliver its ruling on Thursday.

Elza said that the court’s ruling would not end Prabowo’s efforts to vindicate himself in court, as his legal team would take other legal action, including filing lawsuits with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) and complaints with the Jakarta Police.

“The hearing at the PTUN will start this week. The lawsuit will seek to prove Jokowi’s candidacy was illegal because he lacked the necessary documents.”

Political analyst from the Jakarta-based Political Communication (Polcomm) Institute, Heri Budianto, said the battle between Prabowo and Jokowi was far from over.

“When the court delivers its verdict tomorrow, whatever the ruling states, it will open a new chapter in the political battle. This could increase political tensions [further],” he said.

Heri added that Prabowo’s coalition, which is composed of six major political parties and holds the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, would likely use its leverage to continue attacking Jokowi and his policies.

“If the position of the House speaker is taken by a member of Prabowo’s coalition, I doubt if Jokowi can last for five years,” he said. (Ina Parlina and Hans Nicholas Jong)