Honorary Council to hold closed-door meeting with nine justices

Delapan parpol penuhi ambang batas parlemen, PDIP suara terbanyak
The first meeting of the Honorary Council of the Constitutional Court (MKMK) at the MK building in Jakarta on Thursday (October 26, 2023). ANTARA/M Risyal Hidayat/nym
The Honorary Council of the Constitutional Court (MKMK) will hold a closed-door meeting with nine justices of the Constitutional Court (MK), the court's Head of the Administrative Law and Registrar's Bureau, Fajar Laksono, stated.

"The meeting with all the justices is not a trial forum. It (the meeting) is scheduled to be held today at 4 p.m. However, it is a closed-door meeting," Laksono remarked here on Monday.

Earlier last week, MKMK Chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie stated that the council was preparing the mechanism to examine constitutional judges and would hold a meeting with the justices on Monday to convey the mechanism.

"The schedule is being drawn up," he noted.

Examination of the justices will be conducted in response to public complaints against MK's ruling on the age limit for presidential and vice presidential candidates.

On October 16, the MK granted part of case number 90/PUU-XXI/2023 filed by Almas Tsaqibbirru Re A., a resident of Surakarta City, Central Java.

In his lawsuit, Almas requested that the requirement for presidential candidates be at least 40 years of age or have experience as a regional head, both at the provincial and district or city levels.

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The decision was deemed to be rife with conflicts of interest. It sparked public allegations that the justices have violated MK's code of ethics in examining and deciding on the case.

The MK then formed the Honorary Council of the Constitutional Court to handle reports of the alleged violation of the code of ethics.

Three members of the MKMK were former Chief Justice Jimly Asshiddiqie, former member of the Constitutional Court Ethics Council Bintan Saragih, and senior constitutional judge Wahiduddin Adams.

The Honorary Council would have 30 days to examine and decide on the case, with an allocated 15 days of extension if required.

According to Jimly, the justices would be questioned in groups as well as individually, depending on the case report.

The questioning will be conducted behind closed doors in accordance with MK's internal regulations and also to protect the honor of the judges.

"We must keep the honor of the nine justices. We have to protect the rights of judges (so as to) not be joked about in public, as that would actually tarnish the image of the institution," he emphasized.

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