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