Congratulatory statements have been flowing in for president elect Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and vice president elect Jusuf Kalla from dignitaries worldwide. It’s a sign that the world has officially recognized the legitimacy Jokowi-Kalla’s victory. But the most important recognition for Jokowi-Kalla at the moment ought to be the ones close to home.
(Photo: Yuventius Nicky)
It’s clear now that the Prabowo Subianto (and Hatta Rajasa?) will file a lawsuit to challenge the General Election Commission’s declaration of Jokowi-Kalla’s victory. This move came after Prabowo himself declared his intention, on behalf of himself and Hatta Rajasa, “to withdraw from the (then) on-going process of the election”.
Prabowo clearly stated that he and Hatta Rajasa rejected the presidential election. But in hours, his team reiterated their position. Tantowi Yahya, the spokesperson for Prabowo-Hatta from the Golkar party, told journalists that Prabowo didn’t withdraw from the election. He and Hatta withdrew from the recapitulation process. If you’re confused, so are we.
But then things cleared up a bit. When the news broke that Prabowo-Hatta would file a lawsuit challenging KPU’s decision the wordplay made sense. Had Prabowo-Hatta withdrew from the election, they would not have any legal standing to contest the KPU’s decision at the Constitutional Court. The chief of the Election Honorary Council (DKPP) Jimly Asshiddiqie told journalists that the only way Prabowo can contest KPU’s decision is to bring it up to the Constitutional Court.
Two things are obvious by now: the Constitutional Court won’t be having any Eid-al-Fitr holiday, and the Constitutional Court will be the center of attention for at least until August 22, the day when the Court must announce its verdict on any challenge filed against the KPU’s presidential election decision. But let’s not forget the politics. While Prabowo and Hatta may seek legal redress, we should also monitor the integrity of his so-called permanent coalition, otherwise known as the Red and White coalition.
Earlier today, Kompas.com published an article quoting the daily executive chairman of the Democratic Party Syarief Hasan congratulating Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla for winning the presidential election. Though unsurprising given the signs that the Democratic Party have given in the past few days, Syarief Hasan’s statement remains a major development.
Syarief Hasan and other key Democratic Party politicians had previously endorsed Prabowo-Hatta in the last minutes of the presidential campaign. Many took it as a sign that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had decided to throw the full weight of his endorsement on Prabowo-Hatta. But things quickly changed on Tuesday Jul. 22.
Prabowo’s speech may have been the very thing that changed SBY’s heart. Prabowo’s fiery speech rejecting the election, calling it full of fraud, could’ve been taken as a direct insult by SBY. The President had repetitively said to the public that he himself would monitor the election and make sure that it would be held in the fairest manner possible. By calling it a disaster, Prabowo, so to speak, questioned the result of SBY’s hard work. A very, very poor judgment.
So let’s see today, whether or not other parties in Prabowo’s coalition will follow suit and congratulate Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla for winning the presidential election. If more were to follow suit, Jokowi-Kalla’s victory would be incontrovertible.
By Yuventius Nicky
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