New Round of Postponing Election Maneuvers, Reveals KPU Not Presenting Witnesses to Face Prima's Lawsuit
The decision to postpone the 2024 election from the Central Jakarta District Court (PN Jakpus) has entered a new phase.
It was revealed, in the series of hearings that have taken place since the civil lawsuit of the Adil Makmur People's Party (Prima) was registered on December 8, 2022, the KPU did not present a single witness.
This situation is considered to reflect the seriousness of the KPU RI in dealing with Prima's civil lawsuit which is materially quite dangerous, because the political party founded by former activist Agus Jabo Priyono asked to repeat all stages of the 2024 Election for 2 years 4 months and 7 days which automatically postponedelection.
Moreover, the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court, in their considerations, also admitted that they knew what Prima meant through the petitum to delay the election.
Quoted from a copy of case decision number 757/Pdt.G/2022, Thursday (2/3/2023), it was revealed that Prima presented 2 witnesses whose statements were considered by the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court.
The panel of judges later granted all of Prima's lawsuits because in one of their considerations, the arguments put forward by Prima were said to be irrefutable by the KPU.
"According to the panel, the plaintiffs have been able to prove all of the arguments for their actions, while the defendant cannot defend the arguments for his rebuttal, so the plaintiff's claim can be granted in its entirety," wrote the decision.
On the other hand, KPU RI chairman Hasyim Asy'ari represented his institution as the defendant and only authorized 43 commissioners and KPU RI staff to speak during the trial. KPU did not send a lawyer.
Commission explanation
Hasyim Asy'ari spoke out on the grounds that he did not present witnesses or lawyers in facing Prima's civil lawsuit.
The first reason, Hasyim emphasized that the case was outside the jurisdiction of the Central Jakarta District Court. This argument was also conveyed by the KPU RI in its exception in the Prima case, but was rejected by the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court.
"Laws and disputes about political parties are tracked by Bawaslu and PTUN," Hasyim told Kompas.com on Tuesday (7/3/2023).
"Thus, when the case was brought to the realm of civil lawsuits to the Central Jakarta District Court, the KPU was of the opinion that this was not the competence of the PN," he added.
The second reason, according to him, is that the KPU does not need to present anyone to face this lawsuit because they themselves are the party who "knows best" the chronology of the problems faced by Prima.
Prima felt aggrieved by the KPU because he was declared not to have met the administrative verification requirements for political parties as candidates for the 2024 Election, so he could not take part in the 2024 Election.
"The KPU is the party that carries out party registration and verification activities, so the KPU is the party that knows about these matters," said Hasyim.
"Based on these two matters, the KPU did not present any witnesses and it is enough for the KPU to face the trial itself," he continued.
On the other hand, Hasyim also feels that he has done his best to deal with Prima's barrage of lawsuits since it was declared that he had not passed administrative verification.
Previously, Prima had filed a lawsuit against the KPU dispute with the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu). The mediation process between the two parties was deadlocked and Prima was declared victorious in the trial process.
Bawaslu ordered the KPU to open another opportunity for Prima to verify the repair administration. However, Prima was still declared ineligible for the second time.
Furthermore, Prima filed a lawsuit against the KPU dispute with the State Administrative Court (PTUN) on November 30, 2022. The lawsuit was declared unacceptable.
Prima then filed a lawsuit with the Central Jakarta District Court. While this process was still ongoing, Prima also filed a lawsuit against the KPU RI dispute again at the Administrative Court on December 26, 2022. The PTUN rejected Prima's lawsuit.
"We have been sued repeatedly by Prima, the Bawaslu route, PTUN, and the general court. We face all of them. From there, the KPU is serious about all lawsuits," said Hasyim.
The big question led to a complaint to the DKPP
The Association for Elections and Democracy questioned KPU RI's move not to present witnesses/experts in facing Prima's lawsuit at the Central Jakarta District Court.
A member of the Perludem Advisory Board, Titi Anggraini, considered that the KPU should have done their best after their argument that the Central Jakarta District Court did not have the authority to try this case was rejected by the panel of judges.
"This is indeed a big question for all of us, considering that on January 20, 2023 the Central Jakarta District Court issued an interlocutory decision refuting the KPU's exception regarding the absolute competence of the Central Jakarta District Court in handling Prima's lawsuit," Titi told Kompas.com, Tuesday.
"There should have been extraordinary efforts from the KPU to anticipate the interlocutory decision. In fact, the KPU's step was not to present witnesses/experts," he added.
It is considered that this maximum effort can be pursued by asking for the support of the state attorney's attorney to become the KPU's attorney, in order to close the loophole for the postponement of the 2024 elections that Prima wants.
Titi suspects that the KPU RI has the upper hand and feels confident, because Prima's previous legal efforts have failed and now they are facing only civil lawsuits.
"Even though the petitum Prima at the Central Jakarta District Court is not playing games and has major consequences amidst the still massive discourse on postponing elections and extending terms of office," he said.
Similar arguments were also the background to the complaint made by the Indonesian Muslim Student Action Unit (KAMMI) against the leaders of the Indonesian KPU to the Election Organizer Ethics Council (DKPP).
KAMMI considers that KPU RI leaders violated the code of ethics Article 15 letter a of the DKPP Regulation concerning the Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct for General Election Organizers which reads, "In carrying out the principles of professionalism, organizers behave and act to maintain and protect the honor of the institution."
"We report that they take it lightly and the implication is it disrupts the honor of the KPU," said the Head of the PP KAMMI Polhukam Division, Rizki Agus Saputra, Tuesday.
The chairman of Commission II of the DPR RI, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, also admitted that he had similar questions. It is said that his party is seeking a Working Meeting with the Indonesian KPU and other election management bodies to discuss the Central Jakarta District Court case.
"So far we don't know, because it's their internal affairs. So, what's the process like, what has their attitude been like, what have their answers been like, so that the verdict comes to that. (Is it) not taken care of, or what, we want to know, " said Doli, Tuesday.
Babak Baru Manuver Tunda Pemilu, Terungkap KPU Tak Hadirkan Saksi Hadapi Gugatan Prima
Kasus putusan penundaan Pemilu 2024 dari Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Pusat (PN Jakpus) memasuki babak baru.
Terungkap, dalam rangkaian sidang yang berlangsung sejak gugatan perdata Partai Rakyat Adil Makmur (Prima) diregistrasi pada 8 Desember 2022, KPU tak menghadirkan satu pun saksi.
Situasi tersebut dianggap mencerminkan ketidakseriusan KPU RI menghadapi gugatan perdata Prima yang secara materi cukup berbahaya, karena partai politik besutan eks aktivis Agus Jabo Priyono itu meminta diulangnya seluruh tahapan Pemilu 2024 selama 2 tahun 4 bulan dan 7 hari yang otomatis menunda pemilu.
Terlebih, majelis hakim PN Jakpus, dalam pertimbangannya, juga mengaku tahu maksud Prima lewat petitum itu bertujuan menunda pemilu.
Dikutip dari salinan putusan perkara nomor 757/Pdt.G/2022, Kamis (2/3/2023), terungkap bahwa Prima menghadirkan 2 orang saksi yang keterangannya dipertimbangkan majelis hakim PN Jakpus.
Majelis hakim belakangan mengabulkan semua gugatan Prima karena dalam salah satu pertimbangannya, dalil-dalil yang diajukan Prima disebut tidak dapat dibantah KPU.
"Menurut majelis, para penggugat sudah dapat membuktikan seluruh dalil-dalil tindakannya sedangkan tergugat tidak dapat mempertahankan dalil-dalil bantahannya, maka gugatan penggugat dapatlah dikabulkan seluruhnya," tulis putusan itu.
Di sisi lain, Ketua KPU RI Hasyim Asy'ari mewakili lembaganya sebagai tergugat juga hanya memberi kuasa kepada 43 komisioner dan staf KPU RI untuk bicara dalam persidangan. KPU tidak mengirim pengacara.
Penjelasan KPU
Hasyim Asy'ari angkat bicara alasannya tidak menghadirkan saksi maupun pengacara dalam menghadapi gugatan perdata Prima.
Alasan pertama, Hasyim menegaskan bahwa perkara tersebut di luar yurisdiksi PN Jakpus. Argumen ini juga disampaikan oleh KPU RI dalam eksepsinya dalam perkara Prima, tetapi ditolak majelis hakim PN Jakpus.
"Gugatan dan sengketa tentang partai politik jalurnya adalah Bawaslu dan PTUN," kata Hasyim kepada Kompas.com pada Selasa (7/3/2023).
"Dengan demikian, ketika perkara dibawa ke ranah gugatan perdata ke PN Jakpus, KPU berpendapat hal tersebut bukan kompetensi PN," ia menambahkan.
Alasan kedua, menurutnya, KPU tidak perlu menghadirkan siapa pun untuk menghadapi gugatan ini karena mereka sendiri pihak yang "paling tahu" kronologi masalah yang dihadapi Prima.
Prima merasa dirugikan oleh KPU karena dinyatakan tidak memenuhi syarat verifikasi administrasi partai politik calon peserta Pemilu 2024, sehingga tak bisa ambil bagian dalam Pemilu 2024.
"KPU ini sebagai pelaku kegiatan pendaftaran dan verifikasi partai, jadi KPU ini adalah pihak yang tahu urusan tersebut," kata Hasyim.
"Berdasarkan dua hal tersebut, KPU tidak menghadirkan saksi dan KPU cukup menghadapi sendiri persidangan tersebut," lanjutnya.
Di sisi lain, Hasyim juga merasa telah berupaya maksimal menghadapi gugatan Prima yang bertubi-tubi sejak dinyatakan tidak lolos verifikasi administrasi.
Sebelumnya, Prima sudah menggugat sengketa KPU ke Badan Pengawas Pemilu (Bawaslu). Proses mediasi kedua belah pihak buntu dan Prima dinyatakan menang dalam proses sidang.
Bawaslu memerintahkan KPU membuka kesempatan kembali bagi Prima melakukan verifikasi administrasi perbaikan. Namun, Prima tetap dinyatakan tidak memenuhi syarat untuk kali kedua.
Selanjutnya, Prima menggugat sengketa KPU ke Pengadilan Tata Usaha Negara (PTUN) pada 30 November 2022. Gugatan itu dinyatakan tidak dapat diterima.
Prima lalu memasukkan gugatan ke PN Jakpus. Ketika proses ini masih bergulir, Prima juga menggugat sengketa KPU RI lagi ke PTUN pada 26 Desember 2022. PTUN menolak gugatan Prima.
"Kita ini sudah digugat bertubi-tubi oleh Prima, jalur Bawaslu, PTUN, dan peradilan umum. Semua kami hadapi. Dari situ, KPU serius menghadapi semua gugatan," tutur Hasyim.
Pertanyaan besar berujung aduan ke DKPP
Perkumpulan untuk Pemilu dan Demokrasi mempertanyakan langkah KPU RI tidak menghadirkan saksi/ahli dalam menghadapi gugatan Prima di PN Jakpus.
Anggota Dewan Pembina Perludem, Titi Anggraini, menilai bahwa KPU seharusnya berupaya maksimal setelah eksepsi mereka bahwa PN Jakpus tak berwenang mengadili perkara ini ditolak majelis hakim.
"Ini memang yang menjadi pertanyaan besar bagi kita semua, mengingat pada 20 Januari 2023 PN Jakpus telah mengeluarkan putusan sela yang membantah eksepsi KPU soal kompetensi absolut PN Jakpus dalam menangani gugatan Prima," ujar Titi kepada Kompas.com, Selasa.
"Mestinya ada upaya luar biasa dari KPU untuk mengantisipasi putusan sela tersebut. Justru langkah KPU adalah tetap tidak mengajukan saksi/ahli," ia menambahkan.
Upaya maksimal ini dianggap bisa ditempuh dengan meminta dukungan jaksa pengacara negara untuk menjadi kuasa hukum KPU, guna menutup celah dikabulkannya penundaan Pemilu 2024 yang diinginkan Prima.
Titi menduga, KPU RI di atas angin dan merasa percaya diri, sebab berbagai upaya hukum Prima sebelumnya sudah buntu dan kini mereka menghadapi gugatan perdata saja.
"Padahal petitum Prima di PN Jakpus ini tidak main-main dan punya konsekuensi besar di tengah masih masifnya wacana penundaan pemilu dan perpanjangan masa jabatan," ungkapnya.
Argumen serupa juga menjadi latar belakang aduan Kesatuan Aksi Mahasiswa Muslim Indonesia (KAMMI) atas para pimpinan KPU RI ke Dewan Kehormatan Penyelenggara Pemilu (DKPP).
KAMMI menilai para pimpinan KPU RI melanggar kode etik Pasal 15 huruf a Peraturan DKPP tentang Kode Etik dan Pedoman Perilaku Penyelenggara Pemilihan Umum yang berbunyi, "Dalam melaksanakan prinsip profesionalitas. penyelenggara bersikap dan bertindak memelihara dan menjaga kehormatan lembaga.".
"Kami laporkan bahwa mereka menganggap remeh dan implikasinya terganggunya kehormatan KPU," sebut Kepala Bidang Polhukam PP KAMMI, Rizki Agus Saputra, Selasa.
Ketua Komisi II DPR RI, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, juga mengaku menyimpan pertanyaan serupa. Pihaknya disebut mengupayakan Rapat Kerja dengan KPU RI dan lembaga penyelenggara pemilu lainnya untuk membahas kasus PN Jakpus.
"Selama ini kita kan tidak tahu, karena memang urusan internalnya mereka. Nah, prosesnya bagaimana, selama ini sikap mereka seperti apa, jawaban mereka seperti apa, sehingga putusannya sampai begitu. (Apakah) enggak diurus, atau gimana, kan pengin tahu kita," kata Doli, Selasa.