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candidate for the upcoming Aceh gubernatorial election has said that the Constitutional Court’s recent ruling to re-open candidate registration for a few days is a sensible compromise that will help end the unrest in the province caused by tensions over next month’s critical poll.

Muhammad Nazar is running for governor with running mate Nova Iriansyah.

He said that reopening registration would accommodate the demands of candidates who wanted to register at the Independent Election Commission in Aceh (KIP Aceh), including the candidates of the Aceh Party.

“We hope that democracy in the election will be better this time, much better than the 2009 and 2006 elections,” Nazar said on Wednesday.

After receiving several lawsuits from various circles, the Constitutional Court ordered the Independent Election Commission on Tuesday to re-open registration for the gubernatorial election, which is scheduled for Feb. 16.

The order was made by Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD through an interlocutory decision on the dispute between KIP Aceh and the Home Ministry in relation with the regional leadership election.

Under the decision, KIP Aceh was ordered to re-open registration for another seven days.

According to Nazar, when viewed from a legal standpoint, the Aceh election process has spawned various new cases that never existed before in Indonesia.

Aceh has been hit by a string of shootings of late that many believe are linked to the upcoming election.

“So, all of that has become knowledge and requires wisdom from every party in responding them,”
Nazar said.

Nazar said his campaign team was happy with the court’s decision.

“We have no problem with it. In fact, I earlier invited my party colleagues to immediately register as candidates at KIP Aceh or support those who have registered,” he said.

“Earlier, I thought my friends who wished to run no longer wanted to register, but eventually they asked for the time to register. It’s OK, the important thing is that Aceh is peaceful, there’s legal leeway and democracy must improve and development continue,” he said.

Nazar also said that he hoped the central government would always coordinate with existing stakeholders in Aceh.

The central government has been urged by the competing candidates to carefully weigh its responses to developments in Aceh for the sake of welfare and peace.

Nazar and Nova are backed by the Sira Party, a local party in Aceh, and the Democratic Party.

“We are not worried that the number of candidates registering at KIP might get bigger. So, no one should be angry, upset or create new problems due to the Constitutional Court’s decision. We must accept and support for the sake of the Aceh people, peace, justice and democracy,” Nazar said.

The election in Aceh was moved back to February after the Constitutional Court ordered KIP Aceh to reopen registration for gubernatorial candidates.

Meanwhile, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has insisted that the gubernatorial election
in Aceh run as scheduled on Feb. 16 and that re-registration be reopened for three days only, starting
Wednesday.

“There will not be changes and the election will be on Feb. 16, 2012. This is in line with the decision by the Constitutional Court. If it is changed, it will be subject to a new lawsuit,” KPU member Endang Sulastri said in Banda Aceh on Wednesday after meeting with representatives from KIP Aceh.