Chief Justice Anwar Usman delivering a keynote speech and opening a technical assistance program on the 2020 election of governors, regents, and mayors for the Congress of Indonesian Advocates (KAI) virtually, Tuesday (24/11/2020) from the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.
JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) Anwar Usman opened a technical assistance program on the 2020 election of governors, regents, and mayors (pilkada) for the Congress of Indonesian Advocates (KAI) virtually on Tuesday evening, November 24, 2020. The event was organized by the Constitutional Court's Pancasila and Constitution Education Center, Cisarua, Bogor.
"Public participation in the elections is a form of people’s sovereignty in a democracy. As the name implies, demos means people and kratos means government, so the people’s government is carried out through direct elections by the people," he said to 400 KAI members who attended the program online. Pilkada, he said, is the delegation of the people’s sovereignty to a person or a pair of candidates to represent them in carrying out public policies. In order to maintain the purity of the people’s votes, the election process must be transparent, accountable, and under tight supervision.
Regional head elections (pilkada) are the mandate of Article 18 paragraph (4) of the 1945 Constitution and the Second Amendment to Law No. 1 of 2015 on the Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1 of 2014 on the Election of Governors, Regents, and Mayors into Law (Pilkada Law). The simultaneous pilkada started in 2015. Although it is the responsibility of the General Elections Commission (KPU) as the organizer, in addition to the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), the Indonesian national police (Polri) is also responsible for the orderly and smooth elections.
“There is also a violation settlement mechanism according to the types and stages of violations. Violation of the code of ethics falls under the authority of the Election Organizer Ethics Council or DKPP. Administrative violations fall under the authority of Bawaslu; criminal acts of election fall under the authority of the Gakumdu Center and the general courts; state administrative disputes are the authority of the state administrative court or PTUN. Meanwhile, disputes over the results of the votes acquired by the participants or pairs of candidates shall be examined and tried by the Constitutional Court,” Justice Anwar explained.
The 2020 regional head election (pilkada), he stressed, is faced with the unusual challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. On one hand, the state has the obligation to fulfill the people’s democratic right. On the other hand, it must implement strict health protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19. Facing this challenge, the pilkada was even delayed until December 9, from the initial voting date on September 23.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General M. Guntur Hamzah said the Court has prepared technical assistance programs for stakeholders for the success of the pilkada, including for KAI. The programs aim at improving and unifying the public’s understanding and perceptions about the Constitution, the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Court decisions, and other constitutional issues. “In addition, the [program] aims to improve knowledge and understanding on the procedure to handle disputes over the 2020 [pilkada] results. It will take place for three days and two nights starting from Tuesday, November 24 to Thursday, November 26, 2020. Until today, the alumni of [this program] stand at 21,842 people from various backgrounds,” he added.
KAI central executive board (DPP) president Siti Jamaliah Lubis said she had participated in such a program twice before. First, in 2018 along with 165 participants. Second, in 2019 along with 100 participants.
“We are grateful to the Constitutional Court. I hope the participants can follow the program for three days online despite occasional signal issues at the regions. I also hope the 2020 simultaneous pilkada will run smoothly and produce regional heads with integrity. Hopefully no regional heads-elect are arrested by the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission] six months after they are inaugurated,” she stressed.
Writer: Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor: Nur R.
Translator: Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)
Translation uploaded on 11/30/2020 18:28 WIB
Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.