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Applicants deliver petition points at preliminary session on Act of Regional Elections, on Wednesday (19/8) at Plenary Room, the Constitutional Court Building. Photo PR/Gani

 

 

The Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi –MK) holds preliminary judicial review session on Act Number 8 Year 2015 of Act Amendment Number 1 Year 2015 concerning Government Regulation in-lieu of Law Number 1 Year 2014 of Governor, Mayor, Regent Elections Enacted to Act (Undang-Undang Nomor 8  Tahun 2015 tentang Perubahan Atas Undang-Undang No. 1 Tahun 2015 tentang Penetapan Peraturan Pemerintah Pengganti Undang-Undang No. 1 Tahun 2014 tentang Pemilihan Gubernur, Bupati, dan Walikota Menjadi Undang-Undang –UU Pilkada). On the session led by Constitutional Justice Patrialis Akbar, the Court merges examination on three cases, which are Case Number 95, 96, 100/PUU-XIII/2015. Basically, Applicants on those cases sue minimum candidates in regional election provision. As known, the minimum candidates in regional election are two candidates. Regional election will be postponed if there is only one candidate registered in regional election.

Three Surabaya citizens Aprizaldi, Andri Siswanto, and Alex Andreas file petition in Case Number 95/PUU-XIII/2015. They assess Article 49 (9), Article 50 (9), Article 51 (2), Article 52 (2), Article 54 (4), and Article 54 (6) Act of Regional Elections are potentially derail 2015 Surabaya Regional Election. It will be occurred if there is only one candidate in the election.

According to the Applicant, potential failure of Surabaya Regional Election can harm Applicant’s constitutional rights because they cannot elect regional head on December 9. Representing by Applicant’s Attorney Muhammad Sholeh, the Applicant requests the Constitutional Court to declare the phrase ‘at least two’ (‘paling sedikit dua’) in Article 49 (9), Article 50 (9), Article 51 (2), Article 52 (2), Article 54 (4), Article 54 (6) Act of Regional Elections contrary to the 1945 Constitution and has no legal binding. 

“We want the phrase ‘at least two’ is erased because it already set in Article 49 and Article 50. When the provision of two minimum candidates is not achieved, regional elections will be postponed for 10 days in order to open second stage registration. So the root of the problem is in Article 51 (2) and Article 52 (2),” explained Sholeh.

The Applicant also requests the Constitutional Court to declare Article 49 (9) Act of Regional Elections constitutional if it stated ‘Provincial General Election Commission reopens registration of Governor and Deputy Governor Candidates for a maximum three days after the delay as stipulated in paragraph (8). Regional election process shall be continued after the time extension ended, although there are no two candidates registered’ (‘KPU provinsi membuka kembali pendaftaran pasangan Calon Gubernur dan Calon Wakil Gubernur paling lama tiga hari setelah penundaan tahapan sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (8). Setelah tiga hari perpanjangan waktu pendaftaran tapi belum menghasilkan minimal dua pasangan calon, proses pemilukada harus tetap dilanjutkan’).

The Applicant considers Article 50 (9) Act of Regional Elections constitutional if interpreted “Regency/City General Election Commission reopens registration of Regent and Vice Regent Candidates as well as Mayor and Vice Mayor Candidates for a maximum three days after the delay as stipulated in paragraph (8). Regional election process shall be continued after the time extension ended, although there are no two candidates registered’ (‘KPU Kabupaten/Kota membuka kembali pendaftaran pasangan Calon Bupati dan Wakil Bupati serta pasangan Calon Walikota dan Calon Wakil Walikota paling lama tiga hari setelah penundaan tahapan sebagaimana dimaksud ayat (8) setelah tiga hari perpanjangan waktu pendaftaran tapi belum menghasilkan minimal dua pasangan calon, proses pemilukada harus tetap dilanjutkan’).

The Applicant considers Article 54 (4) Act of Regional Elections shall be interpreted ‘Provincial General Election Commission and Regency/City General Election Commission reopens candidate registration within seven days if there are no two candidate pairs, regional election process shall be continued’ (‘KPU provinsi dan KPU kabupaten/kota membuka kembali pendaftaran mengajukan pasangan calon paling lambat tujuh hari jika belum menghasilkan minimal dua pasangan calon, proses pemilukada harus tetap dilanjutkan.’).

At last, the Applicant requests the Constitutional Court to declare Article 54 (6) Act of Regional Elections constitutional if interpreted ‘In case the candidate is permanently absent during campaign commencement until voting day and the candidate are less than two, regional election is delayed for 14 days maximum. Regional election shall be continued, although there are no two candidate pairs,” (Dalam hal pasangan calon berhalangan tetap pada saat dimulainya kampanye sampai hari pemungutan suara pasangan calon kurang dari dua orang, tahapan pelaksanaan pemilihan ditunda paling lama 14 hari jika belum menghasilkan minimal dua pasangan calon, proses pemilukada harus tetap dilanjutkan.”)

Meanwhile, two Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle’s (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan –PDIP) cadres Wisnu Sakti Buana and Syaifudin Zuhri file petition in Case Number 96/PUU-XIII/2015. As known, Wisnu Sakti Buana is Surabaya Deputy Governor Candidates, while Syaifudin Zuhri is the secretary of PDIP’s Surabaya branch (Dewan Pimpinan Cabang PDIP Surabaya). Representing by their Attorney Edward Dewaruci, the Applicant considers harmed by the provision in Article 51 (2), Article 52 (2), Article 121 (1), and Article 122 (1) Act of Regional Elections.

According to them, candidate registration for candidate pair Tri Rismaharini and Wisnu Sakti Buana is already postponed for three times, due to the candidates is less than two candidate pairs. Therefore, the Applicant assesses the candidate pair potentially suffer constitutional loss because their fundamental right to participate in election becomes unclear.

“The Applicant assesses Act of Regional Elections has weakness which cause uncertain condition towards Applicant’s position. The candidate pair has registered themselves officially and fulfilled the requirements as stipulated by law; however their position is uncertain due to minimum candidate provision, in this case two candidate pairs,” explained Edward.

At last, academics Effendi Ghazali and Yayan Sakti, as Applicant of Case Number 100/PUU-XIII/2015, reveal their concern on regional election delay. According to them, regional government authority will be handed to Acting Regional Head (Pelaksana Tugas Harian –Plt) if regional election delayed.

“Basically, Acting Regional Head is not decide strategic policies, however the more important issue is citizen’s right to get the best government as the result of their own choice,” revealed Effendi. (Lulu Hanifah/Prasetyo Adi N) 

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