Yusharto representing the Government responding to the petition for judicial review of the Law on the Establishment of South Buton District on Monday (21/5) in the Plenary Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

The Government requested the judgement of the Constitutional Justices on the judicial review of the Appendix and the Elucidation of Law No. 16/2014 on the Establishment of South Buton District in Southeast Sulawesi Province filed by the Selayar Islands Regent Muh. Basli Ali. This was conveyed by the Director of Regional Development and Special Autonomy and Board of Regional Autonomy Yusharto Huntoyungo in the fourth hearing of case No. 24/PUU-XVI/2018 held by the Constitutional Court (MK) on Monday (21/5).

Yusharto representing the Government stated the government and local government are a unity in the administration of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. So if there were problems, he added, it would be better to resolve them internally first.

"Because the Government strongly believes that the existing problems can be solved well by way of deliberation, as mandated by Pancasila and the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia 1945. We also convey this in order to maintain the authority of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, both on the national and international scales," he said before the Panel of Justices presided over by Chief Justice Anwar Usman.

Regarding the subject of the petition on Kakabia Island, Yusharto stated that the Government had tried to solve the problem of Kakabia Island, of which process is still ongoing. Based on the results of verification and standardization and further checking with supporting documents, the Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs (Permendagri) No. 45/2011 on September 26, 2011 on the administrative area of ​​Kakabia Island stipulates that Kakabia Island is in the administrative area of ​​Selayar Islands District, South Sulawesi Province at 6° 54\' 7" S and 122° 13\' 11" E.

Yusharto added that the Minister of Home Affairs has designated the administrative area of ​​Kakabia Island as part of the administrative area of ​​Selayar Islands District based on No. 45/2011. "In Article 2 it is affirmed that Kakabia Island is located in the eastern Selayar Islands District, South Sulawesi Province, at 6° 54\' 7" S and 122° 13\' 11" E. Furthermore, Article 3 affirms that Kakabia Island is included in the administrative area of ​​Selayar Islands District, South Sulawesi Province," he explained.

Selayar Island Regent Muh. Basli Ali filed for a judicial review of the Law on the Establishment of South Buton District that contains the territorial map of the region and the explanation of the a quo law stating that the total area of ​​South Buton District is about 509.92 km². The petition for judicial review was motivated by the status of Kakabia Island that is included in the area of ​​South Buton District based on the Law on South Buton District. Meanwhile, according to the Petitioner, Kakabia Island is the administrative area of ​​Selayar Islands District. (ARS/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)