The Petitioners’ legal counsel Yuskandar testifying at the preliminary hearing of Merangin regent election results dispute case No. 180/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani in panel 2 courtroom, Monday (1/13/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Merangin regent-vice regent candidate pair 1 Nalim-Nilwan Yahya argue the use of state facilities to campaign for candidate pair 2 Syukur and Abdul Khafid. They leveled the allegation at the preliminary hearing for the regent election results dispute case No. 180/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025. Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra with Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani presided over the hearing in the panel 2 courtroom on Monday, January 13, 2025.

The Petitioners’ legal counsel Yuskandar argued that M. Yuzan, a campaign committee member for candidate pair 2, had utilized state facilities for campaign purposes during the Merangin Regency DPRD’s (Legislative Council) recess, which is prohibited. These facilities include cars, regional tax returns (SPTPD), and assignment letters.

Furthermore, Yuskandar stated that using state facilities could influence voters in the three districts near the recess activities, given Yuzan’s role as a people’s representative directing the community to vote for candidate pair 2. Also, Yuzan was not on leave as a Merangin DPRD member when campaigning for said candidate pair.

“Attached as video evidence are the recess activities of an active Merangin Regency DPRD member, M. Yuzan, who campaigned for candidate pair 2 in Renah Pembarap, Sungai Manau, and Pangkalan Jambu Districts on November 10, 2024. Additionally, photos of banners showing M. Yuzan’s activities in Simpang Parit Village of Renah Pembarap District, Merangin Regency on the same date,” added Yuskandar while reading the subject matter.

The Petitioners objected to the use of state facilities for the benefit of candidate pair 2, specifically to influence the vote results of the 2024 Merangin regent-vice regent election. As such, they asked the Court to order the Merangin Regency KPU to conduct a revote at all polling stations of Merangin Regency, added legal counsel Dimas Amanda Wahid.

The petition for case No. 180/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author           : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor            : N. Rosi
Translators     : Ryan Alfian/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL) (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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