Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto announces his withdrawal from the election process two hours before KPU's scheduled announcement of the final tally and the declaration of a new president (7/22). Prabowo's camp accuses the election organizer of being unfair, lacking transparency and violating the election rules. TEMPO/Dian Triyuli Handoko
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Prabowo's rejection on the result of presidential election will not matter to the legitimacy of the election. Legal expert Refly Haru said that the legitimacy of the election does not depend on a candidate's statement. "It is the Electoral Commission (KPU) that has the authority to define the legitimacy of presidential election," Refly told Tempo.
Todung Mulya Lubis, senior legal practitioner said that Prabowo's rejection will stain democracy in Indonesia. "However, the election is legitimate because the people have used their rights to vote," he said. "Such move [rejection] is not educative and that it is a step back of democracy."
Refly and Todung both said that Prabowo can still file the result to the Constitutional Court. Previously, Prabowo Subianto and his supporting coalition rejected the result, claming that there has been a number of violation during the election process. He also questioned KPU stance in ignoring the Electoral Supervision Agency. "They [KPU] violate their own regulation," said Prabowo.
