Anies’ camp asks the MK to present 4 Jokowi ministers at the presidential election dispute hearing

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Chairman of the National Legal Team Anies Rasyid Baswedan-Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar (THN Amin), Ari Yusuf Amir asked the Constitutional Court (MK) to help present four ministers assisting President Jokowi in the 2024 presidential election dispute trial.

The four ministers are Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini, Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan, and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto.

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“(The presence of the four ministers) is to hear their statements in this trial, Your Majesty,” said Ari in the follow-up hearing to the 2024 presidential election dispute at the Constitutional Court Building, Central Jakarta, Thursday (28/3/2024).

The Anies-Muhaimin camp is known to argue that President Jokowi used social assistance for the benefit of Prabowo-Gibran winning. The implementation of social assistance is related to the work fields of the four ministers who were asked to attend the session.

The Ganjar-Mahfud camp supports the proposal to present the four ministers. Head of the TPN Ganjar-Mahfud Legal Team, Todung Mulya Lubis, said that at least the Minister of Social Affairs Risma and the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani must be present at the trial.

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“We consider at least these two ministries to be very important, very vital, we ask the panel of judges to grant this,” said Todung on the same occasion.

Another attorney for Ganjar-Mahfud, Maqdir Ismail, said that presenting the minister as a witness was part of the proof process regarding the argument that the government used social assistance to win Prabowo-Gibran. According to him, only the minister can provide an explanation regarding the hundreds of trillions in social assistance budget disbursed by the government.

“They were presented so they could explain the basis and considerations for using social assistance of up to 495 trillion,” said Maqdir.

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Meanwhile, the Prabowo-Gibran camp opposes the proposal. Deputy Chair of the Prabowo-Gibran Defense Team, Otto Hasibuan, said that in the presidential election dispute trial there was no need for the minister to be present. Because the burden of proof is on the applicant, namely Anies-Muhaimin and Ganjar-Mahfud.

“Perhaps it should not be necessary. It is also necessary to consider the relevance of the minister’s presence in this case, that’s all,” said Otto.

MK chooses to be careful…