Solo – Dozens of protesters calling themselves the Indonesian Youth Alliance (API) rallied in front of Surakarta City Hall on Friday March 22. They were calling on House of Representative (DPR) members to investigate alleged fraud in the 2024 elections through a right of inquiry.
The demonstrators began gathering in front of the office of Solo Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka at around 1.30 pm.
Action public relations officer Endro Sudarsono explained that the protest was aimed at supporting a right of inquiry at the DPR and challenges against the election results that have been submitted by various parties with the Constitutional Court (MK).
"We will continue to support the right of inquiry and challenges at the MK which are in the process at each institution", said Sudarsono during a break in the action.
The action highlighted a number of problems that marred the 2024 election process. Sudarsono said that this included Constitutional Court ruling Number 90/PUU-XXI/2023 which paved the way for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's son and Solo Mayor Rakabuming Raka to run as a vice presidential candidate alongside Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.
"Secondly, the DKPP [Election Organisers Ethics Council] decision which said the KPU [General Elections Commission] chairperson violated ethics. The KPU should have made a derivative regulation to follow up on the earlier MK ruling. But this was not done", said Sudarsono.
Sudarsono also highlighted the issue of potential maladministration and abuse of authority in the appointment of acting regional heads by the president, which was considered to have benefited a certain presidential pair in the elections.
"Then, fourth, bansos [social assistance]. This bansos is a state program, a government program. It cannot be claimed as a program of one the candidate pairs or Jokowi's personal [program]", he said.
"Then finally there is a note related to the neutrality of ASN [state civil servants], the TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri [Indonesian police]. This even made the United Nations ask about Jokowi's neutrality", he said.
The demonstration was marred by the burning of tyres in front of the Solo City Hall, where Gibran has his office. The dozens of police officers who were on duty appeared to ignore the fire and left it to go out by itself. (syd/kid)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Dukung Hak Angket Kecurangan Pemilu, Massa Demo di Depan Kantor Gibran".]
