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Friday, April 16, 2021 | 10:26 WIB

Ruling hearing of the 2020 Sabu Raijua regent election dispute, Thursday (15/4/2021) in the Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

JAKARTA, Public Relations—The Constitutional Court (MK) passed decisions on three cases of the 2020 election dispute of Sabu Raijua Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province on Friday, April 16, 2021 in the plenary courtroom.

The Decision No. 135/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 was passed for the petition by Candidate Pair No. 3 Taken Irianto Radja Pono-Herman Hegi Rdja Haba. The Court disqualified Candidate Pair No. 2 Orient Patriot Riwu Kore-Thobias Uly from the election and ordered the Sabu Raijua Regency General Elections Commission (KPU) as Respondent to hold a revote involving Candidate Pair No. 1 Nikodemus N. Rihi Heke-Yohanis Uly Kale and Candidate Pair No. 3.

Meanwhile, in the Decision No. 134/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 the Court declared the petition by Herman Lawe Hiku, Marthen Radja, and the Civil Alliance for Sabu Raijua’s Democracy (AMPEDO) inadmissible.

Also read: 

Is the Elected Regent of Sabu Raijua a US Citizen?

Civil Alliance for Sabu Raijua’s Democracy Challenges Regent Election Results

Similar to the Decision No. 135/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021, in the Decision No. 133/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 on the petition by Candidate Pair No. 1 Nikodemus N. Rihi Heke-Yohanis Uly Kale, the Court ordered a revote.

“First, [the Court] grants the Petitioner’s petition in part. Second, [the Court] declares a revote of the 2020 Regent-Vice Regent Election of Sabu Raijua Regency be held referring to the verdict of case No. 135/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021,” said plenary chairman Chief Justice Anwar Usman alongside the other eight constitutional justices.

Also read:

Orient P. Riwu Denies Giving Up His Indonesian Citizen Status

KPU of Sabu Raijua Reveals Elected Regent’s Nationality 

Dual Citizenship

The Petitioner of the case No. 133/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 questioned the citizenship of Sabu Raijua regent candidate Orient Patriot Riwu Kore, who they believed was a US citizen. Kore’s US citizenship was confirmed by the US Embassy in Jakarta on February 1, 2021.

The Petitioner explained that the regency’s Bawaslu had received information on Kore’s citizenship, which prompted them to send a letter to the regency’s KPU on September 5, 2020 to caution them to carefully verify it. The Petitioner alleged that the KPU had neglected to do so and confirmed Kore to participate in the election and even declared him regent-elect.

Also read:

Expert: Only Indonesian can be Regent Candidate

The Regent-Elect is Foreign National, The Democratic Process is Violated

Experts Talk Citizenship Status of Regent Candidate 

Disqualification and Revote

In its legal considerations, the Court highlighted the petition No. 133/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 and disqualified Candidate Pair No. 2 (Orient Patriot Riwu Kore-Thobias Uly) from the 2020 Sabu Raijua regent-vice regent election. It also ordered the regency’s KPU to hold a revote with only Candidate Pairs No. 1 and 3. The order was made with reference to the Decision No. 135/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021, which has the same legal consequence.

Also read:

Immigration Office Clarifies Orient Kore’s Citizenship

Indonesian General Consulate in LA Reveals Orient P. Riwu Kore’s Nationality

Dukcapil Director General Reveals Orient’ Population Database 

Writer: Nano Tresna Arfana
Editor: Nur R.

Translator: Yuniar Widiastuti
Editor: R.A. Indah Apriyanti

Translation uploaded on 4/16/2021 19:50 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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