Plenary judicial review hearing of the Law on the Establishment of South Buton Regency, Thursday (11/10) in the Plenary Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.

The Constitutional Court (MK) postponed the material review hearing of Law No. 16/2014 on the Establishment of South Buton Regency. The hearing had been scheduled to hear the statements from the Government’s expert and the House of Representatives (DPR), who was not prepared to give statements.

In the sixth hearing of Case No. 24/PUU-XVI/2018 on Thursday (11/10/2018), the Petitioner’s attorney Andi Lilling also requested a delay because the Petitioner’s expert’s written statement had only been submitted that day. “Even if [they] were present, they would be late. We request postponement of the hearing,” he said before the court led by Deputy Chief Constitutional Justice Aswanto.

The constitutional justices granted the request for postponement. “The hearing is postponed and will commence on Monday, October 29, 2018 at 11:00 WIB,” Justice Aswanto declared.

The petition was filed by the Selayar Islands Regent Muh. Basli Ali. The Petitioner filed a judicial review petition of the appendix of the a quo law, which contains the territorial map of the region and the explanation of the a quo law stating that the total area of ​​South Buton Regency 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 Regency based on the Law on South Buton Regency. Meanwhile, according to the Petitioner, Kakabia Island is the administrative area of ​​Selayar Islands Regency. (Arif/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti