There Are 48 Lawsuit Against Election Result, Only 7 Will Be Handled by MK

The results of 2017 Concurrent Local Elections have been announced. In the wake of post-election period, the Constitutional Court (MK) receives 48 lawsuit submitted by losing candidates, election observers, or civil organizations.

According to a report released by Constitution and Democracy Initiative (KoDe Inisiatif), these 48 lawsuits are coming from 4 provinces, 8 municipalities, and 33 regencies. Civil organizations and election observers reject the election result in three electoral areas: Sorong Municipality, Pati Regency, and Central Maluku Regency.

At province level, the lawsuits come from Aceh, West Sulawesi, Banten, and Gorontalo. At municipality level, the lawsuits come from Langsa, Payakumbuh, Tasikmalaya, Yogyakarta, Salatiga, Batu, Kendari, and Sorong.

Meanwhile, at regency level, the lawsuits come from Gayo Lues, East Aceh, North Aceh, Nagan Raya, Pidie, Bireuen, Aceh Singkil, Southwest Aceh, Central Bengkulu, Tebo, Sarolangun, Jepara, Pati, Central Buton, South Buton, Sangihe Island, Morotai Land, Central Halmahera, Central Maluku, West Maluku Tenggara, Buru, Bombana, Isle of Banggai, Buol, Takalar, Sarmi, Mappi, Tolikara, Puncak Jaya, Lanny Jaya, Maybrat, Dogiyai, and Sorong.

“There are several areas where the election result is sued by more than one pleaders. In Sarmi Regency, for example, the result is sued by three pleaders. And in West Maluku Tenggara, the result is sued by two pleaders,” says a researcher from KoDe Inisiatif, Adam Mulya, during a public discussion titled “MK’s Role in Realizing Substantive Justice” in Jakarta (03/02).

Adam then explains, if we follow the requirement set by MK, that a dispute regarding the result of an election shall be submitted no later than three days after the announcement and the vote margin between candidates shall be between 0.5 and 2.0 percent, then there are only seven lawsuits that are eligible to be handled by MK.

Those seven lawsuits are coming from:

1. Candidate number 1 in Takalar Regency, Burhanuddin
2. Candidate number 2 in Gayo Lues Regency, Abdul Rasad
3. Candidate number 1 in Salatiga Municipality, Agus Rudianto
4. Candidate number 1 in Bombana Regency, Kasra Jaru
5. Candidate number 1 in Yogyakarta Municipality, Imam Priyono
6. Candidate number 2 in Maybrat Regency, Karel Murafer
7. Candidate number 1 in West Sulawesi Province, Suhardi Duka

“Admittedly, the requirement set by MK for a lawsuit to be consdered as eligible is too strict. We hope the winning candidate will not exploit this requirement to block up other candidate’s initiative to file a lawsuit to MK by manipulating the election result,” says Adam.

Adam hopes MK will be able to detect any fraudulent result in the elections. MK should never tolerate any electoral fraud.