Court Spills Reasons for Not Summoning Jokowi in Election Dispute Case

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Constitutional Court (MK) Judge Arief Hidayat highlighted President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's partisanship in the 2024 presidential election during the hearing of the election dispute case today, April 5.

“What has gained mass attention and is then brought up by the petitioners is the partisanship of the state head,” Arief said at the Constitutional Court Building, Central Jakarta on Friday, April 5.

The losing candidates, pair number 01 Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar and pair number 03 Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md., challenged the election results to the Constitutional Court, arguing that Jokowi orchestrated the social assistance programs and mobilized state officials, including cabinet ministers, to sway voters toward the winning candidate pair number 02 Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is his eldest son.

“The constitutional court has deliberated on whether or not it is okay to summon the head of state, the President of the Republic of Indonesia. Well, it doesn't look good,” Arief said.

He emphasized the honorable position of Jokowi as both head of state and head of government. If he were only the head of government, he claimed, the Constitutional Court would present Jokowi at the hearing.

“The president as the head of state is a symbol of the country that all stakeholders must uphold, so we summoned his assistants,” Arief said.

Four of President Jokowi's cabinet ministers were present at today’s hearing. They are Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini.

AMELIA RAHIMA SARI

Editor's Choice: Top Court Urged to Summon Jokowi in Election Dispute Hearing

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News