Legal counsel Heru Widodo testifying in the regent election results dispute hearing for Case No. 172/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani, Monday (13/1/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) - Raja Ampat regent candidate 01 as the incumbent vice regent was alleged of abusing his power during the 2024 Raja Ampat regent election. This was argued by the regent and vice regent candidates 05 Ria Siti Naruliah Umlati and Benoni Saleo as the Petitioners for the Raja Ampat regent election results dispute at the Constitutional Court (MK).

The first hearing for Case No. 172/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was held at the Constitutional Court on Monday, January 13, 2025, presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani. During the session, legal counsel Heru Widodo argued that the incumbent (Relevant Party), who is also a candidate, had abused his authority by leveraging the power of subordinate officials. This included the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Raja Ampat, who also served as the Head of the 2024 Raja Ampat Regional Head Election Desk, to mobilize, direct, and engage various personnel such as regional work units (SKPD), regional apparatus organizations (OPD), Echelon 3 officials, district heads, section heads, State Civil Apparatus (ASN), KPPS heads, teachers, and health center heads in Raja Ampat. The Petitioners provided evidence, including records of intensive communication within the WhatsApp group (WAG) "BOM 27," where the Raja Ampat Regional Secretary actively and openly shared a voice note endorsing Candidate Pair 01. The regent candidate of this pair is the incumbent Vice Regent of Raja Ampat for the 2021–2025 term.

"The regional secretary's voice note shared in the WAG BOM 27 was explicitly intended to campaign for Candidate Pair 01, whose regent candidate is the regional secretary's direct superior, the active vice regent for the 2021–2025 period, now running as a regent candidate for the 2024–2029 term," stated Heru reading the petition.

The Petitioners further argued that the incumbent abused his power by influencing the organizers of the 2024 Raja Ampat regent election, including the Chairperson of the KPU and the Raja Ampat KPPS. According to the Petitioners, this was evidenced by the involvement of these officials in protecting and securing violations committed by Candidate Pair 01. The Petitioners presented supporting evidence, including a voice note from the Regional Secretary shared in the WAG BOM 27, which followed a consolidation effort orchestrated by the incumbent.

Notably, the regional secretary’s involvement, as directed by the incumbent, in deploying, directing, and mobilizing government apparatus and election organizers began early in the candidacy stage. According to the Petitioners, this effort started at the residence of Iskandar Hamid Urbinas, Head of the Raja Ampat Regency Economic and Development Division, in October 2024, and continued at the incumbent's residence in November 2024.

"In the meeting, the incumbent vice regent as a regent candidate 01 ordered the Regional Secretary of Raja Ampat Regency as the Head of the Regional Head Election Desk and Vice Regional Head of Raja Ampat along with his subordinate officials to win his candidacy," added Heru.

Based on these arguments, the Petitioners requested the Court to order the Raja Ampat KPU to conduct a revote at all polling stations across the regency and to disqualify Candidate Pair 01, whose regent candidate is the incumbent. Consequently, the revote would be limited to Candidate Pairs 02, 03, 04, 05, and 06.

Also read the petition for Case No. 172/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Also read: Hasbi-Martinus Allege State Civil Apparatus Involvement in Raja Ampat Regent Election

Author  : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor   : N. Rosi
Translators     : Nazila Rikhusshuba / 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.

 

---