Legal counsel Rusdy taking a selfie at the preliminary hearing for West Bangka regent election results dispute, Thursday (1/9/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – West Bangka regent-vice regent candidates 01 Sukirman and Bong Ming Ming filed a petition to annul the of the West Bangka KPU (Elections Commission) Decree No. 583 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 West Bangka regent election results. The preliminary examination hearing took place on Thursday, January 9, 2025, and was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1.

In Case No. 99/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, legal counsel M. Ridwan stated the vote acquisition for the candidate pairs: candidates 01 Sukirman-Bong Ming Ming received 35,446 votes, candidates 02 Markus-Yus Derahman obtained 36,872 votes, and candidates 03 Mansah-Dwi Aryani garnered 23,980 votes.

According to the Petitioners, the votes for Candidate Pair 02 was allegedly influenced by money politics (vote buying) in six districts: Muntok, Simpang Teritip, Jebus, Kelapa, Tempilang, and Parittiga. Additionally, during a campaign event, the candidate pair involved a member of the House of Representatives (DPR), Rudianto Tjen, from the PDI Perjuangan (Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle) faction, who made a visit during recess to Parittiga District. This visit was strongly suspected of use of state facilities and budget, with a high likelihood of money politics. This conduct, as noted by Ridwan, had violated Article 57 paragraph (1) letter h and Article 60 paragraph (1) of KPU Regulation No. 13 of 2024 on campaigns for the election of governors, vice governors, regents, vice regents, mayors, and vice mayors.

Furthermore, the number of polling stations (TPS) in the West Bangka 2024 regional election was reduced compared to the 2020 regional election, which consists of six districts. In 2020, 400 polling stations served a total of 134,414 voters. However, in 2024, the number was reduced to only 341 polling stations with 151,000 voters.

“In the 2024 West Bangka regional election, there were 151,000 voters, but the number of polling stations was reduced to 341. This led to a significant number of voters not exercising their right to vote due to the distant locations of the polling stations. Although a proposal was made to provide 500 polling stations, the election organizers did not fulfill this request,” said Ridwan in the plenary courtroom.

The Petitioners requested the Court to order the West Bangka KPU to conduct a revote at all polling stations in Muntok District, as well as at TPS 03 in Sungai Bulu Village, TPS 01 in Bulit Terak Village, TPS 05 in Air Lintang Village, TPS 03 in Tempilang Village, TPS 03 in Pangek Village, TPS 02 in Tebing Village, and TPS 01 in Rukam Village.

Also read the petition for Case No. 99/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

Author              : Sri Pujianti
Editor                : N. Rosi
Translators        : Nazila Rikhusshuba/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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