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The attorney of the Kuantan Singingi KPU Missiniaki Tommi at the second hearing of the Kuantan Singingi Regency election results dispute, Thursday (4/2/2021). Photo by Humas MK/Ilham.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Kuantan Singingi Regency General Elections Commission (KPU) as Respondent refuted the arguments of Candidate Pair No. 3 Halim-Komperensi at the second hearing of the 2020 regional head election (pilkada) results dispute case No. 60/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 on Thursday afternoon, February 4, 2021. The justices heard the responses by the Respondent, the statements by the Relevant Party and the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), and approved the evidence. 

Also read: Court Examines Dispute Cases of Rokan Hulu, Rokan Hilir, Kuantan Singingi Elections 

The Kuantan Singingi Regency KPU responded to the Petitioner’s argument regarding the voting at 686 polling stations (TPS) in 229 villages in 15 subdistricts in the regency on December 9, 2020 with 69.95% voter turnout. Attorney Missiniaki Tommi stated that during vote counting at the TPS and PPK (subdistrict election committee), there was no objection from the candidate pairs’ witnesses.

“There was not a single objection by witnesses at each TPS or at the PPK level during the vote counting. There was only a witness objection at the regency vote counting recapitulation plenary meeting. However, the objection was not about the vote counting results but about an error in the input of 100 votes, alleged “money politics” and electoral criminal acts by Candidate Pair No. 1 Andi Putra-Suhardiman,” Missiniaki explained before Deputy Chief Justice Aswanto alongside Constitutional Justices Suhartoyo and Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh

The KPU also refuted the Petitioner’s allegation that the election process had violated the direct, public, free, confidential, honest, and fair election principles in a structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) manner. The KPU stressed that they had carried out the election honestly and fairly according to the existing legislation and that there were no objections by witnesses at each TPS or at the PPK level. They also had held a coordination meeting and campaign socialization on September 25, 2020.

The KPU then challenged the allegation of TSM vote buying or “money politics” in many areas in the regency by Candidate Pair No. 1, who won the election. “The Petitioner didn’t clarify and explain in detail the “money politics” practices and how they affected the Petitioner’s votes,” Missiniaki stressed.

Meanwhile, the regency’s Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) responded the alleged campaign at the residence of Andi Cahyadi in Bukit Kauman Village, Kuantan Mudik Subdistrict, which Candidate Pair No. 1, their campaign team, and the local community attended. There was no STTP (acknowledgement letter) of the election campaign from the police.

“In response to the argument, Bawaslu had notified the candidate pairs verbally not to campaign in any form. In addition, based on Bawaslu’s inspection, no campaign violations were found,” said Mardius Adi Saputra, one of Bawaslu’s attorneys.

Next, Candidate Pair No. 1 Andi Putra-Suhardiman (Relevant Party) strongly disagreed with the Petitioner’s arguments, excluding those that the Relevant Party admitted to in their statement. “The 2020 Kuantan Singingi regent election ran smoothly and democratically. As a proof, during voting and recapitulation, no witnesses of the candidate pairs raised an objection and they even signed the recapitulation results,” said attorney Dody Fernando.

Dody also dismissed the allegation of campaign at the residence of Andi Cahyadi. “The activity was not a campaign, but the establishment of a customary law institution,” he stressed.

Also read: Pilkada Disputes of Musi Rawas Utara, Penukal Adab Lematang Ilir, and Meranti Island

Meranti Islands KPU’s Response

At the same hearing, the Meranti Islands KPU rebutted the arguments of Candidate Pair No. 3 Mahmuzin-Nuriman Khair (Petitioner) in case No. 120/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021. “The Respondent believes the petition had passed the deadline of petition filing according to the legislation. The petition should’ve been filed no later than December 18, 2020 at 24:00 WIB, while the Petitioner did so on December 21, 2020 at 23:44 WIB,” attorney Sudi Prayitno explained.

Responding to the Petitioner’s allegation that the regency’s election was rife with violations and manipulation, the Respondent said since preparation to voting, they didn’t find any suspicion of violations by Candidate Pair No. 1 Muhammad Adil-Asmar that significantly affected the candidate pairs’ vote acquisition and the certified winner in the election. They also disproved the allegation that the election was full of structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations and vote buying or “money politics” by Candidate Pair No. 1 that it negatively affected the Petitioner. The Respondent believes the claim was unsubstantiated and legally groundless. In addition, it was not clarified at what levels the vote results were manipulated.

Next, Meranti Islands Regency Bawaslu also responded to the Petitioner’s allegation of violations by Candidate Pair No. 1 Muhammad Adil-Asmar that negatively affected the Petitioner. Bawaslu admitted to receiving a report of vote buying. Then, along with the Integrated Law Enforcement (Gakkumdu) they investigated the report. However, the investigators stated that the dossier had expired and couldn’t advance to the court.

Similarly, Candidate Pair No. 1 Muhammad Adil-Asmar (Relevant Party) refuted the Petitioner’s allegations regarding TSM violations that had a significant effect on the vote acquisition and the certification of election winner as well as “money politics” practices.

Writer: Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor: Nur R.
Uploader: Nur Budiman

Translator: Yuniar Widiastuti
Editor: NL
Managing Editor: Budi Wijayanto

Translation uploaded on 02/05/2021 15:50 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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