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Secretary General of the Constitutional Court M. Guntur Hamzah coordinating with the Regional Police about the security details for the Constitutional Justices on Wednesday (19/06) at the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court (MK) with the help of the Police was ready to protect the nine constitutional justices and their families during the hearing of the 2019 presidential election results dispute (PHPU). Security details for the families of the justices were to be provided not only for the nuclear families, but also for their extended families outside the city.

“The presidential and the legislative elections have distinctive characteristics. The intensity and escalation of security is also more dynamic. We have coordinated intensively with the Police. Our leaders consider it important to meet with the regional police leaders in person," said the Secretary General of the Constitutional Court during a coordination meeting with Regional Police to discuss the security details for the constitutional justices on Wednesday (19/6/2019) at the Constitutional Court.

Guntur said that there are two important issues at the meeting. First, about increasing security at the residence of the constitutional justices.

So far, we have done it by patrolling the residences of the constitutional justices. However, it does not mean that there is a threat. Yesterday, there was news about the constitutional justice being intimidated. Immediately, I clarified the news. Until now, not a single justice is under threat," said Guntur.

Guntur asserted that the security during the 2019 PHPU hearing would be more stringent. For example, security at the residence of the Chief Constitutional Justice Anwar Usman in West Nusa Tenggara, the family of Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra in West Sumatra, and other constitutional justices.

"The Constitutional Justices considered the security during the PHPU hearing outstanding," Guntur said at the meeting with Constitutional Court high-ranking officials and the Police.

Second, the Court has video conference facilities at 42 universities in various provinces. It was also a focus of the Constitutional Court, because it did not rule out the possibility of a PHPU hearing being held through video conference.

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief of Police for Operations Martuani Sormin Siregar, who was present at the meeting, said that the 2019 Elections were an extraordinary event because the presidential and legislative elections were held simultaneously.

"The Constitutional Court must be part of the improvement of the nation\'s life and democracy. In the future we must be smarter in democracy," Martuani said.

Martuani explained that during the election results dispute hearing, the Police are ready to collaborate with the military (TNI) to preserve public order, including security for court visitors, employees of the Constitutional Court, and constitutional justices and their families. (Nano Tresna Arfana/NRA/MJK/YW)

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