JAKARTA, March 27 — Indonesia’s losing presidential candidate Anies Baswedan today laid out his challenge in court to last month’s presidential election, calling it unjust and fraught with interference to sway the ballot in favour of one candidate.
The former Jakarta governor said the election, which saw a resounding victory for Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, was helped by the pressure from the administration on regional authorities and the mobilisation of social aid as a “transactional tool” to ensure one outcome.
Prabowo received 60 per cent of the votes, with the help of tens of millions of young Indonesian and his promise of continuity of President Joko Widodo’s policies after a decade in charge.
Anies and third-placed Ganjar Pranowo won 25 per cent and 16 per cent of the vote, respectively.
Anies told the Constitutional Court that after two decades of direct elections, Indonesia was at risk of sliding into its authoritarian past.
“If we don’t perform corrections right now, then it’ll become a precedent in the future at votes on every level,” he said. “This practice will be perceived as normal, a habit.”
The court is expected to deliver its decision on the case on April 22. Challenges to election outcomes are typical in Indonesia.
The team of Anies has called on the Constitutional Court to order an election re-run that excludes Widodo’s son, alleging his last-minute inclusion for the vice president’s post on Prabowo’s ticket unfairly influenced the vote.
Loyalists of the president have defended him and rejected a storm of criticism that he abused his position to ensure former rival Prabowo won, in a move to preserve his legacy after a decade in power. — Reuters
