Legal counsels Ade Yan Yan Hasbi and Imam Ridho A. Yuwono at the preliminary examination hearing for Case No. 04/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Central Buton regent election results dispute, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) – Central Buton regent-vice regent candidates 02 La Andi and Abidin suspected the election organizer of negligence and partiality in their petition for Case No. 04/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Central Buton regent election results dispute. The petition was presented at the preliminary examination hearing in the Constitutional Court’s (MK) main building on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. The hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1.

The organizer in question is the Central Buton KPU (Elections Commission) as the Respondent, and the Relevant Party is Candidate Pair 01 Azhari and Muhammad Adam Basan.

The Petitioners cited eight incidents of negligence by the Respondent during the voting process at polling stations. The errors committed by the Respondent primarily involved voting by unauthorized persons, damaged ballots, and recapitulation not following the rules. The Petitioners stated that all of these issues had been reported to the Central Buton Regency Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), with one report receiving a response.

In addition, the Petitioners mentioned the alleged lack of neutrality of the Respondent in the implementation of the election. They argued that this was seen from the Central Buton KPU commissioner’s instruction via phone call to the head of the Mau Sangka District PPK (election committee).

“There was a direct instruction by the Central Buton KPU commissioner via phone call to Abdul Haris, head of the Mau Sangka District PPK, on November 26, 2024 to Udin, the PPS (polling committee) of Wasilomata Satu Village, to ensure the victory of Candidate Pair 01,” said the Petitioners’ legal counsel Ade Yan Yan Hasbullah.

In addition, the Petitioners highlighted the Relevant Party’s status as a civil servant (PNS) lecturer. They argued that the certification of the Relevant Party as a Central Buton regent candidate violated Article 69 paragraph (1) of the KPU Regulation No. 3 of 2017 on the resignation of civil servants when participating in general elections. According to the Petitioners, the Relevant Party should have resigned from civil service by the end of September 2024.

“However, based on the evidence we have obtained, Dr. Azhari was still receiving his salary for November and December,” said Ade.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Central Buton KPU decree on the certification of the Central Buton regent election results and disqualify the Relevant Party. Additionally, the Petitioners requested that the Court order the Central Buton KPU to conduct a revote, which should be held at the following polling stations: TPS 4 of Boneoge, Lakudo District; TPS 2 of Kancebungi, Mawasangka District; TPS 1, 2, and 3 of Madongka, Lakudo District; TPS 6 of Watulea, Gu District; TPS 2 of Morikana, Central Mawasangka District; TPS 1 of Laibo, Mawasangka Tengah District; and TPS 1 of Wolando, Gu District.

Also read the petition for Case No. 04/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

Author              : Ashri Fadilla
Editor                : N. Rosi
Translators        : Nazila Rikhusshuba/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.

---