Eduard Manihuruk as the Petitioner's Legal Counsel while reading out the arguments for the Regent and Deputy Regent election result disputes of Rokan Hilir Regency, Thursday (1/9/2025) in the Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Rokan Hilir Regent Candidate Pair 1 Afrizal Sintong and Setiawan (Petitioners) revealed election violations in the form of student mobilization. This was delivered by Eduard Manihuruk, the Petitioners' legal counsel at the preliminary hearing of Case Number 31/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 which was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

In this petition, the General Election Commission (KPU) of Rokan Hilir Regency is the Respondent, and Candidate Pair 2, Bistamam and Jhony Charles, are the Relevant Parties.

The Petitioners revealed that the student mobilization involving money or other material rewards was carried out by the Relevant Parties on November 27, 2024.

"The Relevant Parties committed violations] by mobilizing students through promises and/or giving money or other material rewards to influence voters to vote for Candidate Pair 2 in the Rokan Hilir regent election," Eduard added when reading the petition's arguments.

The election organizers' collusion to support the Relevant Parties was also brought up at the hearing, as the Petitioners believed that their reports to the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) of Rokan Hilir were rejected or ignored.

In that regard, the Petitioners claimed that the Rokan Hilir Bawaslu had cautioned the public not to visit the regent's official residence. They mentioned that the Relevant Parties cast their vote not at their supposed polling station.

"The election organizers allowed the Rokan Hilir Regent Candidate Pair 2, Bistamam and his wife to cast their vote not at their designated polling station," said Eduard.

In their petition, the Petitioners alleged a conspiracy between the Respondent, namely the Rokan Hilir KPU and the Rokan Hilir Bawaslu regarding the identity and educational history of the Relevant Parties. Specifically, the Relevant Parties' names listed in their national identity card and the ballot were different and their educational history hidden.

"The educational history of the Candidate Pair 2 was hidden by the Rokan Hilir KPU," Eduard continued.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested that the Court annul the Rokan Hilir KPU Decree No. 1508 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 regent election results. Alternatively, the Petitioners requested that the Court order a revote in all of the polling stations.

The petition for case No. 31/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author : Ashri Fadilla

Editor : N. Rosi
Translator : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin / FS (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.

 

---