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The Relevant Party\'s attorneys Taufik Basari and Regginaldo Sultan after delivering a response to the 2018 Belitung regent election dispute petition on Tuesday (31/7) in the Panel II Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.

Regent-vice regent Candidate Pair Number 4 Sahani Saleh and Isyak Meirobie as the Relevant Party confirmed that the 2018 Belitung Regency election ran smoothly, safely, and orderly following the honest and fair principles. This was conveyed by Regginaldo Sultan in the second hearing of the 2018 Belitung Regency election, Tuesday (31/7).

"Our goal in carrying out an honest, fair election was to provide accurate political lessons to the Belitung people," Regginaldo explained to the hearing chairperson, Deputy Chief Constitutional Justice Aswanto along with Constitutional Justices Manahan M. P. Sitompul and Saldi Isra.

The Relevant Party of Case No. 24/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 also dismissed the Petitioners\' allegation that they had committed money politics in a structured, systematic, and massive manner (TSM) during the election. The allegation did not meet the criminal element as the Petitioners alleged. "This is only the Petitioners\' assumptions and imagination. Thus, we reject all the Petitioners\' arguments," Regginaldo said.

Regginaldo added that instead of reporting violations to the Belitung Regency Voters Supervisory Committee (Panwaslih), the Petitioners instead reported to the Constitutional Court (MK).

Heikal Fackar from the Belitung Regency Panwaslih responded to the Petitioners\' argument about the distribution of "sehati [one heart) cards" and syrups with a sticker of the Candidate Pair Number 4. "Based on the monitoring of Belitung Panwaslih, no report was found regarding the distribution of the sehati cards to the public by Candidate Pair Number 4. Likewise, the distribution of syrup by Candidate Pair Number 4 is not true and there is no distribution," said Heikal.

Candidate Pair Number 3 Cik Ujang and Haryanto as the Relevant Party in Lahat Regency election dispute case was represented by attorney Redhi Setiadi, who alluded to the petition. According to Redhi, the Petitioners\' petitum was unfounded because the vote margin between the Petitioner and the Relevant Party did not meet the requirements.

In addition, the Relevant Party of Case No. 58/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 argued that the Relevant Party and their campaign team did not commit money politics. "It is the Petitioners who committed money politics and mobilize state civil apparatus because the Petitioner is the brother-in-law of the Regent of Lahat," said Redhi.

In addition, Redhi said, Candidate Pairs Number 4 Bursah Zarnubi and Parhan Berza as the Petitioners gathered the village heads under the guise of a technical guidance event in Jakarta. Each village head was given Rp1 million and batik clothing. On the same occasion, the Petitioners stated that he would run in the elections and asked for help.

No Influence on Pilkada

Meanwhile, Candidate Pair Number 2 Adirozal and Ami Taher as the Kerinci Regency election dispute was represented by attorney Heru Widodo, who provided explanations related to the actions committed by Candidate Pair Number 3 Zainal Abidin and Arsal Apri as Petitioners.

"For example, violations by the Regional Secretary of Kerinci Regency have been resolved by the state civil apparatus committee before the determination of candidate pairs. The Petitioners [also committed violation by] campaigning in places of worship, outside the schedule, and so on," Heru said.

The Relevant Party of Case No. 39/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 also rejected the Petitioners\' accusation that seven village heads took pictures with the Relevant Party. This, according to the Relevant Party, did not affect the election results. In addition, involvement of state civil apparatus in the campaign was already punished. An alleged special meeting of village heads never happened.

In the same session, Tuesday (31/7) the Court also adjudicated on the 2018 Subang Regency election dispute. Subang Regency KPU as the Respondent argued that the voting had been carried out according to the rules and the Petitioner was not clear in proving the argument of the petition. Meanwhile, in the 2018 Sanggau Regency election dispute, both the Respondent and the Relevant Party also denied various arguments presented by the Petitioners. (Nano Tresna Arfana/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti

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