Petitioner Alamsyah revising the petition of the judicial review of Law No. 7 of 2017 on General Elections through video conference, Tuesday (8/10). Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The petition revision hearing of the judicial review of Law No. 7 of 2017 on General Elections petitioned by Alamsyah Panggabean was held by the Constitutional Court (MK) on Tuesday (8/10/2019). The Petitioner affirmed the content of Article 1 numbers 1 of the Election Law that the general elections elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), the president and vice president, and to elect members of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), in a d direct, public, free, confidential, honest, fair manner. 

"Basically the president and vice president are elected honestly and fairly by the MPR [People’s Consultative Assembly], which reflects the people. Therefore, the people may become members of the MPR. One vote determines the nation\'s future. The Petitioner hopes to become a member of the MPR. Besides that, the Petitioners also intends to propose a special amendment to Article 27 and Article 22E paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution," Alamsyah stressed, who read out the revision to the petition without the a legal counsel, through video conference. 

The bench was led by Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra, with Constitutional Justices Suhartoyo and Enny Nurbaningsih. Before concluding the hearing, the justices approved six pieces of evidence submitted by the Petitioner.

Panel chairman Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra informed that the revised petition would be brought up in the justice deliberation meeting (RPH). "Mr. Alamsyah has made a revision. We will submit Mr. Alamsyah\'s revision or petition to the justice deliberation meeting consisting of nine justices, including us. Later the nine justices will decide the fate of your petition," he explained.

The Petitioner of case No. 52/PUU-XVII/2019 challenges Article 1 numbers 1 and 27 of the Election Law. Article 1 number 1 of the Election Law reads, "In this Law, what is referred to as: (1) General Elections, hereinafter referred to as Election, is a means of popular sovereignty to elect members of the House of Representatives (DPR), members of the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), the president and vice president, and to elect members of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), in a d direct, public, free, confidential, honest, fair manner in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia."

"(27) Election contestants are political parties for the Election of DPR members, provincial DPRD members, regency/city DPRD members, individuals for the Election of DPD members, and candidate pairs nominated by political parties or coalitions of political parties for the Election of President and Vice President." 

The Petitioner questioned vote buying during the 2019 simultaneous presidential and legislative elections resulting in the constitutional impairment of the Petitioner. As a result of the violations, the Petitioner felt that aggrieved by the results. 

Therefore, in the petitum, the Petitioner requested that the Court order a re-election, with election organizers consisting of 50 percent from the National Campaign Team (TKN) and 50 percent from the National Victory Agency (BPN), so that the elections will run fairly. The petitioner also requested that he be appointed an independent (non-party) DPR member. (Nano Tresna Arfana/NRA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti