"Candidate number 01 (Jokowi) has used his position as incumbent president, to use the instrument of the state budget and the government programs to persuade voters in the presidential election 2019," Bambang Widjojanto said in his petition, read ouJakarta (ANTARA) - Lead lawyer of the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno team, Bambang Widjojanto, in his petition challenging the results of the presidential election, has accused incumbent President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) of using the state budget and government programs for his personal interests in the election.
"Candidate number 01 (Jokowi) has used his position as incumbent president, to use the instrument of the state budget and the government programs to persuade voters in the presidential election 2019," Bambang said in his petition, read out during the trial of the electoral dispute at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta on Friday.
At a glance, Bambang said, the use of the state budget in the program is normal, moreover it has a legal basis.
"But with a thorough evaluation it will be very easy to understand that (the use of) the state budget and the government programs was a form of embezzlement of the state funding," he continued.
According to Bambang, it would be very easy for the incumbent president to carry out such practises, and the alleged structured election fraud could be done by involving government officials collectively.
"In this case, the election fraud was done by selling his position as incumbent, as the highest commander and in his capacity as the head of state, where he and cabinet ministers make use of their subordinates," he said.
Among the fraud allegedly committed by the incumbent president are payment of the 13th salary and Eid al-Fitr allowance for civil servants and the Indonesian Military-Police, salary increases for officials of villages, and acceleration of some programs, including zero percent down payment, for police personnel to purchase homes.
"The fraud was committed systematically, because it was well-structured, with legal instruments and a law on the state budget," Bambang said.
Indonesia had held simultaneous legislative and presidential elections across the country on April 17, 2019.
The General Elections Commission (KPU), on May 22 at 1:28 a.m. local time, had declared the final results of the elections, detailing the victory of the Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Ma'ruf Amin pair.
The final tally indicated the Jokowi-Amin pair had won 85 million votes, or 55.5 percent of the national vote, as compared to contenders Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno's 68 million votes, or 44.5 percent.
The Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin pair had declared victory, while the Subianto-Uno pair rejected the KPU's official tabulation result and vowed to challenge it in the MK.
(INE)
Translator: Maria Rosari, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
