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Constitutional Court vows to regain public trust ahead of potential election disputes
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Constitutional Court Chief Justice Suhartoyo (second right) and fellow justices (from left to right) Enny Nurbaningsih, Arief Hidayat, Saldi Isra and Anwar Usman preside over a hearing at the court's building in Jakarta on Jan. 10, 2024. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
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he Constitutional Court has committed to restoring its credibility after a series of scandals shattered public trust in the institution last year and amid the possibility that it will be called upon to adjudicate election disputes this year.
Regaining public trust is “a must”, recently inaugurated Chief Justice Suhartoyo pledged on Wednesday, as the rule of law relied on the public’s willingness to accept court rulings, even when people disagreed with the decision.
“The declining trust in the Constitutional Court is an issue that all of the court justices take seriously,” he said at the opening of the court’s 2024 sitting period.
Suhartoyo was named chief justice in November of last year in a closed-door meeting of the nine justices of the court.
He replaced Anwar Usman, who was found by the court’s ethics council to have made “efforts to persuade his fellow justices” and “determine their stance” to carve out an exception to the age minimum of 40 years for presidential and vice presidential candidates. The ruling opened a path for his nephew, Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to run for vice president bid alongside presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.
Read also: Fate of elections rests with new chief justice
Since taking up the court’s top position, Suhartoyo has sought to improve the court’s performance, including by requiring all justices to put the legal reasoning behind their decisions into writing.
