The Petitioners’ legal counsel Dody Fernando (center) at the preliminary hearing for Case No. 21/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 disputing the Kuantan Singingi Regency election results on Panel 3, Wednesday (1/8/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held a preliminary hearing on the dispute over the election results of Kuantan Singingi Regency in 2024 on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The Case No. 184/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was filed by Regent and Deputy Regent Candidate Pair 02 Adam and Sutoyo.

At the hearing on panel 3, chaired by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, the Petitioners’ legal counsel Dodi Fernando presented allegations of violations against Suhardiman Amby, the Kuantan Singingi incumbent regent and regent candidate. Suhardiman had allegedly abused his authority as regional head to favor himself in the election through the distribution of special financial assistance to villages for the construction of traditional canoes.

In the petition, the Petitioner revealed that Suhardiman Amby issued Regent Regulation No. 23 of 2024 concerning special financial assistance to villages for the construction of traditional canoes in Kuantan Singingi Regency. This regulation was signed by Suhardiman on July 5, 2024, just a few months before the election.

The Petitioner highlighted that an implementation of this policy occurred on August 1, 2024, when Suhardiman personally handed over Rp50 million in assistance for the construction of traditional canoes for the Kuantan Mudik District festival, which was attended by thousands of local residents. However, it was considered a form of disguised campaign using government funds.

The Petitioner highlighted a circular letter from the Minister of Home Affairs, urging no distribution of social assistance in a certain period of time ahead of the regional election. However, according to Dodi, the incumbent candidate continued to distribute social assistance despite the ban.

Not only that, he had also allegedly transferred employees within the six-month election silence without obtaining any permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs. “This action clearly violates the applicable regulations and has a direct impact on the independence of the election process,” added Dodi.

For the alleged violation, the Petitioners requested the Court to disqualify the Candidate Pair 01. They argued that the incumbent’s actions constituted a form of violation that could significantly affect the result of the election.

“[The Petitioners requested that the Court] order the Kuantan Singingi Regency Election Commission of Riau Province to conduct a revote of the Kuantan Singingi Regency regent-vice regent election by excluding Candidate Pair Dr. Ir. H. Suhardiman Amby, M.M. and H. Muklisin as participants in the 2024 election of Kuantan Singingi Regency of Riau Province,” said Dodi.

Author              : Utami Argawati
Editor               : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                   : Tiara Agustina
Translators       : Dinita Aktivia/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 Indonesian version will prevail.

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