The ex-general who lost Indonesia’s presidential election to Jakarta governor Joko Widodo mounted a legal challenge to the result on Friday, alleging widespread electoral fraud and irregularities in vote counting.
Prabowo Subianto claims that massive fraud tipped the scales in Joko’s favor, but his challenge is directed at the elections commission, in part for failing to investigate all allegations of cheating, according to a spokesman.
“We are now taking the legal path, the constitutional path,” Prabowo told hundreds of supporters on the street outside the court. “We have almost one million documents and 52,000 witnesses.”
Prabowo’s running mate Hatta Rajasa also made a similar statement, state-run Antara news agency reported, stressing that the Red and White coalition wanted the fight to be carried out in a peaceful manner, quietly, and full of dignity according to the constitution and law.
“God willing, justice will be upheld by the Constitutional Court. Therefore, let’s give it up to the lawyer team while praying for the harmony of the nation … and move forward,” Hatta was quoted as saying.
Prabowo and Hatta were accompanied by Aburizal Bakrie and some high-ranking officials of their coalition parties including Idrus Marham, Akbar Tandjung, Tantowi Yahya, Hidayat Nur Wahid, Fadli Zon, Ahmad Muzani, Ahmad Yani and many others, according to Antara.
Prabowo has refused to concede defeat despite the elections commission’s declaration Tuesday that Widodo won the presidency with 53.15 percent of the vote in the world’s third-biggest democracy.
“We will continue our struggle to save the republic of Indonesia. We aim for real democracy, we want justice, and we’re willing to put everything on stake for the sake of justice. Now we continue our struggle through the legal way, the constitutional way,” Prabowo told hundreds of his supporters, as quoted by Antara. The news agency said he spoke from his car, which was parked outside the court.
He is seeking a repeal of the commission’s results and declaration of Joko as president, Prabowo’s coalition spokesman Tantowi Yahya told local television.
The former general, who has admitted to ordering the abduction of activists before the Suharto dictatorship fell in 1998, angrily announced his withdrawal from the election on Tuesday, only to say on Wednesday that he would file an appeal.
Both candidates claimed victory on the election day, leaving Indonesians waiting two weeks for the official vote count to confirm a winner.
The challenge means an even longer drawn-out process, with court officials saying the decision will be delivered by Aug. 21. That decision cannot be appealed.
Free and fair election
Supporters outside the court held banners demanding a revote and vowing “revolution” if his challenge fails.
“We won’t let this country be led by the other camp. They will allow foreign intervention and communism,” one protestor shouted to supporters, echoing comments made by Prabowo and his spokesmen during the campaign period.
Analysts have described the July 9 election as free and fair, calling it the most transparent in Indonesia’s history.
For the first time, the election commission posted online the voting tally sheets from all polling stations across the country, which make up nearly half a million forms.
Votes were counted at the polls one by one in front of witnesses from both coalitions, as well as community members, and tallied on a sheet visible to all.
Joko’s team could not be immediately contacted but told AFP earlier they were not concerned about the challenge.
Joko is moving ahead with presidential preparations, commenting to reporters on Friday about his future cabinet.
The two previous presidential elections, in 2004 and 2009, were also challenged at the court but were thrown out quickly on lack of evidence.
Concerns of impartiality in the court have been raised following the life sentence handed to its former chief justice last month for accepting bribes to fix local election disputes.
But the court is under immense pressure to rule fairly as it tries to restore its image following the scandal.
Joko is the first elected president with no ties to the political or military elite.
The former furniture exporter raised in a riverbank slum has won legions of fans with his man-of-the people approach during his time as Jakarta governor.
Most analysts say the challenge will not change the outcome and that it may be more a face saving gesture.
However, the dispute has raised concerns it might trigger violence though so far there have been no signs of any unrest.
AFP, Reuters & JG
Source/Fuente:http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/prabowo-challenges-election-result-c...
