President Jokowi Praised Constitutional Court Achievement

President Jokowi attends Submission of the 2019 Constitutional Court Annual Report in Jakarta Tuesday (28/1). Photo by: PR/Jay.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo applauded the achievement of the Constitutional Court (MK) in 2019, especially in handling disputes over the results of legislative and presidential elections.

“I would like to extend my gratitude for the achievements of the Constitutional Court in 2019, in resolving disputes over the results of the Presidential and Legislative Elections through open legal proceedings,” the President said during the Submission of the 2019 Constitutional Court Annual Report, in Jakarta Tuesday (28/1).

With careful and fair consideration, the President said, the result is a democratic process that is trusted by the people.

“Beyond that, the Constitutional Court has also achieved other extraordinary achievements as what has been stated by His Excellency Chief Justice,” the President added.

Furthermore, the President also praised the active role of the Constitutional Court in the global forum and in international constitutional justice community.

“The Constitutional Court has been more respected on the global stage,” the President said.

In the meantime, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Anwar Usman said that since its establishment in 2003 until the end of December 2019, the Court had received 3,005 cases.

“Most of the cases (1,317 cases) were judicial review cases while disputes over the results of regional elections were ranked second with 982 cases” Anwar said, adding that disputes on the results of legislative elections were 671 cases, disputes over the results of presidential/vice presidential elections were five cases, and disputes over the authority of state institutions were 26 cases.

“Of the 3,005 cases, 2,849 of them have been settled out, with the details of 397 cases (13.93%) were granted, 1,005 cases (45.81%) were rejected, 1,004 (34%) were inadmissible, 60 (2.11%) were declared null and void, 171 cases (5.75%) were withdrawn, 25 cases (2%) were follow-up to interlocutory decision, 11 cases (1%) were not under the Constitutional Court jurisdiction and 30 cases are still in process,” Anwar explained.

Anwar added that in 2019, the Constitutional Court received as many as 85 cases, with 37 cases came from the previous year.

Anwar went on to say that there were 122 cases of judicial review throughout 2019 and, compared to 2018, the number of cases was higher.

“Of the 122 cases in 2019, a total of 92 cases have been decided. Thus, in 2020, there are 30 cases from 2019 that are still in the process,” Usman said.

Also present during the event were, among others, Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi, and Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly. (FID/EN)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani