Joni Muda (standing) acted as the Petitioner’s Legal Counsel at the preliminary hearing of Case Number 248/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 Disputing the General Election Results of the Regent of East Halmahera Regency, on Friday (1/10/2025) in Panel 3 Courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu

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JAKARTA, MKRI - The Constitutional Court (MK) held a preliminary hearing of the Regent General Election Results Dispute (PHPU Bup) of East Halmahera Regency with case number 248/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on Friday, January 10, 2025. The hearing was conducted by Panel 3 chaired by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, accompanied by Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbaningsih, and Constitutional Justice Daniel Yusmic P Foekh.

The petitioner is the Candidate Pair of Regent and Vice Regent of East Halmahera Number 1 Muhammad Farrel Adhitama-Hi. Thaib Djalaluddin who received 22,978 votes. While the incumbent candidate pair number 2, Ubaid Yakub-Anias Taber won 32,941 votes as stipulated in the Decree of the General Election Commission (KPU) of East Halmahera Regency Number 943 of 2024 concerning the Certification of the Results of the Regent and Deputy Regent Election of East Halmahera Regency in 2024 dated December 5, 2024.

In its petition, the Petitioner explained that the difference in voted hapened due to alleged violations conduct in the form of money politics, as well as the involvement of the state civil apparatus (ASN), the Voting Committee (PPS), the Voting Organisation Group (KPPS), and village officials. “[They] Using local government facilities, the involvement of election organisers (PPS and KPPS) and problematic final voters list (DPT), all of which are due to candidate pair number 02 being an incumbent,” said the Petitioner’s Legal Counsel, Joni Muda in Panel 3 Court room, Jakarta, Friday January 10, 2025.

One of the alleged violations involved the Regional Secretary of East Halmahera Regency who gave money to the witnesses of one of the candidate pairs. This alleged violation happened in Maba Sangaji Village on November 27, 2024, which was the voting day for the East Halmahera Regency Election.

There was also the involvement of 30 head villages in the winning of Ubaid Yakub-Anias Taber. Joni also explained the practice of money politics by the Maba sub-district head who was caught red-handed distributing money to the people in Baburino Village.

“There is also an active involvement of ASN, Your Honour, namely involvement and enlivening the campaign for candidate pair number 2. There is also involvement related to ASN by using East Halmahera Regency facilities in the form of vehicles to facilitate the village heads,” stated Joni.

In its petitium, the Petitioner asked the Constitutional Court to cancel the Decision of the East Halmahera Regency KPU Number 943 of 2024 concerning the Certification of the Results of the 2024 East Halmahera Regency, News How to Recapitulate the Results of the Calculation of votes for the Regent and Deputy Regent Elections of East Halmahera; Cancel the Decision of the East Halmahera General Election Commission Number 605 of 2024 concerning the 2024 Certification of Candidate Pairs for Regent and Deputy Regent of East Halmahera Regency Election.

Next is [the court] to cancelling the Decision of the East Halmahera General Election Commission Number: 195/PL.02.3-Und/8206/2/2024 Regarding the Open Plenary of the Drawing of the Candidate Pair's Sequential Numbers; Ordering the Respondent to disqualify and revoke the rights of Candidate Pair Number 02, Drs Ubaid Yakub M.Pa and Anjas Taher S.E., M.Si as Candidates for the Regent and Deputy Regent Elections because they are proven of violating the Regional General Election (Pilkada) provisions.

“[The Court to] Ordering the Respondent to conduct a re-vote for the election of regent and deputy regent of East Halmahera Regency in 2024 no later than two months after the Constitutional Court's decision is made by only involving candidate pair number 01, namely Muhammad Farrel Adhitama and Thaib Djalaludin,” stated Joni.(*)

Author : Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR : Tiara Agustina
Translator: Dinita Aktivia / 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.

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