8-11-2023 (JAKARTA) An Indonesian judicial panel delivered a verdict on Tuesday, finding the Constitutional Court’s chief justice guilty of a conflict of interest regarding his involvement in a ruling that permitted President Joko Widodo’s son to run for the vice presidency.
Anwar Usman, who happens to be the president’s brother-in-law, has been instructed to step down from his position as the court’s senior judge due to his failure to recuse himself from a case that ultimately favored his nephew, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Gibran is running as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming February 14 election.
While the ethics panel does not possess the authority to alter the case’s outcome, it has ruled that Anwar can retain his position as one of the court’s nine judges, with the condition that he abstains from participating in any election cases that may lead to a conflict of interest.
The panel’s formation was prompted by public outrage following a controversial ruling that eliminated the minimum age requirement of 40 for all election candidates, effectively enabling 36-year-old Gibran to enter the race. The ethics panel’s investigation found that Anwar “violated judges’ ethical code, specifically the principles of neutrality and integrity, by failing to recuse himself.” It further noted that Anwar had “intentionally created an opportunity for external intervention,” thereby contravening the principle of independence.
The ruling, which emerged just three days before the commencement of election candidate registration, ignited a substantial controversy in Indonesia and gave rise to allegations of presidential interference in the court’s decision. President Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, faced accusations of meddling in the ruling, but he declined to comment on the matter or address the allegations.
The panel also reprimanded the remaining eight judges for ethical code violations, which included their decision to allow Anwar’s involvement in the ruling. Anwar himself was not immediately available for comment.
Initially, the inclusion of Gibran in the presidential race was viewed by some political experts as an advantage for Prabowo’s campaign, as it offered an opportunity to tap into Jokowi’s substantial support base. Jokowi is concluding his second and final term and has yet to officially endorse a candidate. However, some political insiders suggest that he is discreetly positioning himself as a kingmaker in an effort to retain influence after leaving office. This influence has been observed through his prior support for the ruling party’s candidate Ganjar Pranowo, while simultaneously tacitly endorsing Prabowo.
