Extorting Anies-Muhaimin Team Expert, Hotman Paris: Must Be Consecuted With The Answer, Don't Just Be Omon-Omon!

The atmosphere of the 2024 Election Dispute Session at the Constitutional Court, Jakarta 1 April 2024 (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - A member of the Prabowo-Gibran legal team, Hotman Paris Hutapea, questioned the expert brought in by Anies-Muhaimin's team during the 2024 presidential election dispute trial at the Constitutional Court (MK).

This discourse was conveyed by Hotman when responding with a question to Managing Director of Political Economy and Policy Studies (PEPS) Anthony Budiawan, after stating that President Joko Widodo violated the constitution and law for the victory of Prabowo-Gibran in the 2024 presidential election.

Hotman asked Anthony whether the Constitutional Court could issue a decision to cancel the 2024 presidential election from arguments related to violations of the law by Jokowi, who was not an election participant.

The form of violation that Anthony called was the unilateral provision of social assistance by Jokowi violated Article 23 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and Law Number 17 of 2003 concerning State Finance.

Then, irregularities in the 2024 State Budget Policy for political interests that benefit the President's (Gibran) children violate Law Number 28 of 1999 concerning State Administrators who are Clean and Free from Corruption, Collusion, and Nepotism; and violate Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption.

"Is the Constitutional Court authorized in its decision stating that because Jokowi violated the corruption law, violated the APBN Law, violated the social assistance law, the election had to be canceled and repeated? Meanwhile, none of these parties as parties in this case, neither Jokowi, the DPR, nor the ministers," said Hotman, Monday, April 1.

Anthony was reluctant to answer hotman questions. According to him, this is the capacity of the Constitutional Court judges to determine it.

"Because the decision was in court, I handed it over to the court. Not my authority," said Anthony.

Continuing, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Suhartoyo is of the view that experts who provide information cannot be forced to answer all questions in court.

However, Hotman Paris did not accept it. According to him, if Anthony states that Jokowi violates various laws, then the person concerned must be responsible for his statement.

"I mean, he as an expert should be consistent with the answer. Don't just omon-omon!" said Hotman.

"You can't force it like that," Suhartoyo replied.

For information, the presidential election dispute lawsuit filed by Anies and Muhaimin as applicants has case number 2/PHPU.PRES-XXII/2024.

In the lawsuit, the applicant wants a re-vote by disqualifying Gibran Rakabuming Raka from the vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.