The petitioner’s legal counsels, Munandar and Mohamad Subito, while attending the preliminary hearing of case No. 49/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the North Konawe regent election result dispute. Photo by MKRI/Ifa

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Petitioner in the case No. 49/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 argues that the election organizer and civil apparatus sided in the 2024 North Konawe regent-vice regent election result dispute. The Petitioner includes candidate pair 2 Sudiro-Raup, while the Respondent is North Konawe General Election Commission (KPU). The candidate pair 1, Ikbar and Abu Haera serves as the Relevant Party.

The Petitioner read the petition in the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 in panel 1 courtroom, presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo with Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah.

The Petitioner argued that the election organizer was biased, as evidenced by an election banner that reads, “Vote for No 1”.

“The election banner printed and facilitated by the North Konawe Regency KPU should not contain invitations to vote for a particular candidate pair,” emphasized Mohamad Subito, the Petitioner’s legal counsel, while reading out the petition.

Meanwhile, the Petitioner argued that the relations of regent candidate pair 1 with the current regent, and the incumbent vice-regent candidate pair 1, who still holds office. The Petitioner mentioned an event during the Teacher’s Day ceremony held at the field of North Konawe Regent Office.

“The North Konawe regent, who is the sibling of Ikbar, the leading candidate, directed and invited teachers to vote [for the said candidate pair] during the Teacher's Day Ceremony,” Subito added.

The Petitioner also mentioned that North Konawe village heads, who became campaign team members of the Relevant Party, often posted their endorsement on social media before and after the voting day.

The Petitioner also presented screen captures of congratulatory messages from the North Konawe regional government staff on social media, which the panel inquired about in the hearing.

“[Can you point out] the said video in the petition? On which page?” asked Justice M. Guntur Hamzah.

“This video is a compilation of all evidence in summary. It does not appear here in the summary, Your Honor, [the video] is in evidence P-11, P-12, and P-18,” replied Subito.

The petitioner also argues the vote buying occurred in almost all election areas, affecting the vote results of regent-vice regent election.

As such, the Petitioner requests the Court to annul the North Konawe KPU on the certification of the 2024 North Konawe regent-vice regent. The Petitioner also wishes the Court to order a revote in all polling stations of North Konawe district.

The petition for case No. 49/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here

Author           : Ashri Fadilla
Editor            : N. Rosi
Translator     : Ryan Alfian (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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