The Petitioner's legal counsel, Roy Jansen Siagian and Martina, while presenting their arguments at the preliminary hearing of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Java election results dispute, Thursday (01/9/2025) in the Courtroom. Photo by MKRI.

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JAKARTA, (MKRI) - The Constitutional Court (MK) held a preliminary hearing for the 2024 Gubernatorial  Election Results Dispute (PHPU) on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The Preliminary hearing of Case Number 263/GUB-XXIII/2025 was held by Panel 1 justice chaired by Chief Justice Suhartoyo, accompanied by Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah.

The Petitioner in this case is the Candidate Pair for Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Java Number 1 Andika Perkasa and Hendrar Prihadi alias Hendi, represented by their legal counsel, Roy Jansen Siagian and Martina. The Respondent in this case is the General Election Commission (KPU) of Central Java Province. Meanwhile, the Relevant Party is the Candidate Pair for Governor of Central Java and Deputy Governor of Central Java Number 2, Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin.

In its petition, the Petitioner argued that there were violations committed in a structured, systematic, and massive manner (TSM). The Petitioner also mentioned the involvement, partiality, and non-neutrality of several village heads in Central Java Province.

The Petitioner revealed that the non-neutrality was evident from the gathering of Central Java Village Heads who were members of the Village Heads Association (PKD), especially after the declaration of the candidates for Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Java in 2024. Among these gatherings, the Petitioner said that some were even raided by the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) of Semarang City on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

The Central Java Level Village Heads Association (PKD) held a gathering and consolidation event with the slogan 'One Command Together Until the End' at the Gumaya Semarang Hotel on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. The event was raided by Bawaslu Semarang City at 9:00 PM WIB," stated Roy Jansen while reading out the petition at the hearing.

The Petitioner also highlighted similar gatherings, such as the Village Heads Association (PKD) meeting in Pemalang Regency on Tuesday, October 22, 2024; in Banyumas Regency on Monday, October 21, 2024; and in Kendal Regency on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

The Petitioner further argued that several gatherings of village heads were organized during the campaign period, allegedly aimed at mobilizing support for the candidate pair.

The Petitioner also argued about money politics or other materials that the Petitioner considered are able to influence the voters. The material in question is in the form of distribution of Minyakita cooking oil and basic staples.

"Next, I assume it will be read out, Your Honour. It revolves to the distribution of cooking oil, Minyakita, and basic necessities. Essentially, it involves the distribution of essential staples and cooking oil," Roy stated.

Intimidation to the Village Heads, KPU, and Bawaslu

Not only the mobilization of village heads and the distribution of cooking oil and basic staples, the Petitioner also argued that there was intimidation to various parties, namely the village heads, the KPU, and the Bawaslu of Central Java Province. According to the Petitioner, village heads intimidation was performed by summoning them for clarification regarding the use of Village Funds. Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Central Java KPU and the Chairman of the Central Java Bawaslu were summoned by the Central Java Regional Police (Polda) to be questioned regarding alleged corruption offenses.

The petitioner revealed that there is an increasing vote for the relevant party in the area where the heads of the villages are summoned.

“The [violation] above shows the relationship between the willingness of the village head to support candidate pair Number 2 and the call of the police and the Village Head Association with the results of the vote for candidate pair Number 2 in his area,” Roy said.

Proximity to Key Figures

The Petitioner also brought up the relationship between the Relevant Parties and various important figures. These include the Acting Governor of Central Java Nana Sudjana and the 7th President of Indonesia Joko Widodo.

“Which has been prepared in advance to condition the gubernatorial candidate and how to secure his victory in the 2024 Regional Election (Pilkada),” Roy said when reading out the petition.

Mutation of Police Personnel

The Petitioner also raised the issue of personnel mutations within the National Police, specifically involving 15 police chiefs in Central Java. These mutations were outlined in the National Police Chief's Telegram Letters numbered ST/1236NI/KEP/2024, ST/1237NI/KEP/2024, and ST/1238NI/KEP/2024, dated June 25, 2024. The Petitioner argued that these mutations had a significant impact on the results of the 2024 Central Java Gubernatorial Election.

"The mutation of positions within the Police, which replaced 15 police chiefs in 15 regencies/cities throughout Central Java, has shown results—namely the significant vote acquisition of candidate pair number 2 in the 15 regencies/cities where the police chiefs were replaced," said Roy.

From the arguments of the petition presented in this hearing, the Petitioner filed a petitum, namely requesting that the Panel of Justice of the Constitutional Court cancel the Decision of the General Election Commission of Central Java Province Number 200 of 2024 concerning the Certification of the Results of the Election of Governor and Deputy Governor of the Province Number 200 of 2024. Then the Petitioner also requested that the Panel cancel the Relevant Party as the winner of the 2024 Central Java Gubernatorial Election.

"[The Court] is requested to cancel or disqualify Candidate Pair Number 2, Ahmad Luthfi and Taj Yasin, as the winner or elected Governor and Deputy Governor Candidates in the 2024 Central Java Provincial Regional Head and Deputy Regional Head Election," Martina said, reading out the petition.

Responding to this petition, Panel of Justice 1 asked the Central Java KPU as the Respondent to look into it. The same thing was also addressed to the Relevant Parties and Bawaslu Central Java.

‘Later for the KPU, Relevant Parties, and Bawaslu, so please pay attention to the crucial points, which are questioned by the Petitioner,’ said Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo.

Read also link: Case Number 263/GUB-XXIII/2025

Author : Ashri Fadilla.
Editor : N. Rosi.
Translators: Dinita Aktivia/FS

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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