Dian Farizka, attorney of Candidate Pair Number 1 Kalinga-Dian Hermawa Susanti, delivering the subjects of the petition in the 2018 Cirebon regency election results dispute case, Friday (27/7) in the Panel Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.

The 2018 Cirebon Regency election was allegedly rife with structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) fraud to win the Candidate Pair Number 2 Sunjaya Purwadisastra-Imron (Relevant Party), said attorney of Candidate Pair Number 1 Kalinga-Dian Hermawa Susanti (Petitioners).

In the hearing in the Constitutional Court (MK) on Friday (27/7/2018), attorney Dian Farizka stated that the Petitioners of case No. 15/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 objected to the vote count results announced by the Respondent (Cirebon Regency KPU). The Petitioners alleged that the Relevant Party had committed structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) fraud, leading to the reduction in the Petitioners\' votes. They also alleged that civil servants (PNS) were mobilized to vote for the Relevant Party. They alleged that polling stations (TPS) did not prepare the C7-KWK attendance list so that voters in almost all polling stations did not fill it in, resulting in vote inflation. Many daily road workers wore T-shirts that campaigned for Candidate Pair Number 2 when the road work actually used the village budget.

"Based on all of this elaboration, the Petitioners requested the Constitutional Court examine, adjudicate, and decide to rule to grant the Petitioners\' entire request, annul the Cirebon Regency KPU Decree regarding the Determination of Vote Count Results in the 2018 Cirebon Regent Election on July 4, 2018 as well as determine the correct vote results of the 2018 Regent Election according to the Petitioners, in which Candidate Pair Number 1 was the winner of the election, order the Cirebon Regency KPU to disqualify Candidate Pair Number 2 and to conduct a revote in all polling stations throughout Cirebon Regency," said Dian Farizka. 

 ASN\'s Involvement

Serang Mayoral Candidate Pair Number 1 Vera Nurlaela-Nurhasan as Petitioners of case No. 13/PHP.KOT-XVI/2018 challenged the Respondent (Serang City KPU) to annul the determination of vote count recapitulation of Serang mayoral election where Candidate Pair Number 3 Syafrudin-Subadri Usuludin had won. The Petitioners suspected vote buying had taken place to influence the Respondent. They also alleged that the Relevant Party had mobilized state civil apparatus (ASN) and used government funding for campaign purposes.

Subulussalam Mayoral Candidate Pair Number 2 Sartina NA-Dedi Anwar Bancin, Petitioners of case No. 57/PHP.KOT-XVI/2018 challenged the Subulussalam mayoral election, which they alleged had been rife with violations and not fair nor honest. They alleged that Subulussalam City Election Independent Commission (KIP) had recruited sub-district election committee (PPK) village-level direct election committee (PPL), who went on to process electoral data such as temporary and final voters lists (final voters list (DPS, DPT) in order to vote for Candidate Pair Number 5 Affan Alfian Bintang-Salmaza Map. They stated that the day after the election, those election organizers showed their endorsement of Candidate Pair Number 5. In addition, the Petitioners alleged that voters not listed in the DPT voted using e-IDs and letters of recommendation, even when they were not eligible. (Nano Tresna Arfana/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti