The Petitioners’ legal counsels at the preliminary hearing for Case No. 237/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 for Sampang Regency election results dispute on panel 3, Wednesday (1/8/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 01 Muhammad Bin Mu’afi-Abdullah Hidayah (Gus Mamak-Mas AB) have officially filed a petition to the Constitutional Court (MK) to challenge the 2024 Sampang Regency election results. The preliminary hearing for Case No. 237/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 took place on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 on panel 3.

The Petitioners’ legal counsel Gugum Ridho Putra attended the hearing presided over by Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat (panel chair), Enny Nurbaningsih, and Ridwan Mansyur. He stated that the violations due to the lack of neutrality and the involvement of the election organizers in the simultaneous election in Sampang Regency were spread evenly across 11 out of 14 districts.

“Structured, systematic, and massive violations were committed by the KPPS (polling station working committee) as the organizers at the polling stations, such as during the voting and vote counting on November 24, 2024 as well as announcement to residents who are not eligible voters,” explained Gugum.

Another legal counsel, Lukman Hakim, explained that votes were cast by individuals who were not eligible to do so at 208 polling stations and it was spread in 11 districts and 60 villages.

“For example, there were 100% of the final voters list at the polling station 1 in Banyuates Village, while around 82 people had passed away. It means 28 votes were invalid. Likewise, it happened at other polling stations. Ironically, there were four polling stations in Jrengoan Village of Omben District with 0 vote for the Petitioners and 100% votes for Candidate Pair 02,” said Lukman.

He argued that the regional election violations in Sampang were massive as he and his team uncovered dozens of deceased voters.

Considering a large number of problems in Sampang, since November 29, 2024, his team reported the Sampang Regency Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body) to the Provincial Bawaslu. A number of civil servants committed violations, in this case village heads or school principals failed to show neutrality and instead supported Candidate Pair 02 Slamet Junaidi-Ra Mahfud.

The Petitioners requested the Court to annul the results of the 2024 Sampang Regency election and declare them null and void. They also requested the Court to order a revote at 208 polling stations across 60 villages in 14 districts in Sampang Regency.

In addition, the Petitioners requested that Candidate Pair 02 be disqualified from the 2024 Sampang Regency election due to various alleged violations. With the argument of structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) fraudulent practices, they hope that the Court grant a fair and transparent decision for the sake of democracy in Sampang Regency.

Author           : Utami Argawati
Editor            : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                 : Tiara Agustina
Translators   : Syifa Amelia/Yuniar Widiastuti (RA)

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

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