Party withdraws review appeal

Party withdraws review appeal

JAKARTA: Politician Abdullah Hehamahua withdrew on Wednesday
his appeal for a judicial review of Law No. 13/2003 on general
elections as he was convinced that the Constitutional Court would
not rule in favor of his party.

Abdullah, who submitted the judicial review after his Masyumi
Party failed to qualify for this year's elections, said that he
saw no advantage to the court ruling in favor of his appeal.

"I don't think the judges will rule in favor of my appeal.
Even if they did, it would not make my party ready to follow this
year's elections as there is just over a week left before the
campaign period," he said.

Constitutional Court judges have questioned Abdullah's reason
for seeking a judicial review of Law No. 13/2003 on general
elections as the plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence
that the law was in conflict with the Constitution.

The Constitutional Court, which recently issued a historical
ruling allowing former members of the Indonesia Communist Party
(PKI) to join the legislative election, can only review cases
involving legislations that are in conflict with the
Constitution. -- JP