A number of regional candidate pairs began to submit dispute lawsuit to the Constitutional Court. The Court had received five dispute lawsuits concerning regional election results until Friday (18/12), 8.30 p.m.

The candidate pairs were South Labuhanbatu Regency (North Sumatra Province) candidate pair number 2 Usman-Arwi Winata, Medan City (North Sumatra Province) candidate pair number 2 Ramadhan Pohan-Eddie Kusuma, Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (South Sumatra Province) candidate pair number 2 Percha Leanpuri-Nasir Agung, Tana Tidung Regency (North Kalimantan Province) candidate pair number 2 Ahmad Bey Yasin-Abdul Fatah, and North Konawe Regency (Southeast Sulawesi Province) candidate pair number 1 Aswad Sulaiman-Abuhaera.

Four of them were represented by their respective attorneys, while South Labuhanbatu Regent candidate Usman directly filed dispute lawsuit without attorney.

All of the lawsuits had similar substance; accused each respective Regional Election Commissions (KPUD) incorrectly recapitulate vote result.  

However, Medan City candidate pair Ramadhan Pohan-Eddie Kusuma also concerned on low-level voter’s participation in Medan. Their attorney Rohana S. Herutomo said voter’s participation in Medan was only around 50%.

“Such low-level voter’s participation, or high amount abstentions (golput), indicates that Medan regional election result doesn’t represent Medan resident’s vote. Therefore, the regional election should be repeated,” said Rohana when interviewed after filing dispute lawsuit.

The Constitutional Court opened dispute lawsuit registration within determined time; 3x24 hours since official election result in each regions declared by each respective Provincial Election Commission (KPU Provinsi) and Regency/City Election Commisison (KPU Kabupaten/Kota), as stipulated in Article 157 (5) Act Number 8 Year 2015 of Regional Elections. (Yusti Nurul Agustin/Lulu Anjarsari/Prasetyo Adi N)