Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto's legal team on Thursday (28/3) denied that the state had intervened in last month's election and said efforts by the two losing candidates to disqualify Prabowo went against the people's choice.
Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, Wednesday (27/3) questioned Prabowo's convincing victory in last month's presidential election at the Constitutional Court, claiming state interference in the election and calling for Prabowo's disqualification. They also called for fresh elections.
Otto Hasibuan, one of the lawyers for Prabowo's legal team, told the court that there was no violation or interference by President Joko Widodo or state institutions that influenced the results of the February 14 election.
The legal team also asked the court to dismiss the case. “Calls for re-election, disqualification, have the potential to trigger other problems that lead to a constitutional crisis,” Otto told the court.
Jokowi is accused of supporting his rival, Prabowo, who is running with the president's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Both were officially announced as winners of the election last week.
The losing candidates' teams also called for Gibran to be disqualified as a vice presidential candidate, and more than 300 academics and activists on Thursday filed a legal opinion with the court arguing that his candidacy was problematic, according to media reports.
Challenges to election results are not unusual in Indonesia and the court is expected to rule on April 22. (ab/uh)