Legal counsel Meife Hanafi Rabrusun and Claudiski Aritonang in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning Southeast Maluku Regent election result dispute. Photo by MKRI/Ifa

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 01 Martinus Sergius-Ahmad Yani Rahawarin filed a petition to annul the Southeast Maluku Regency KPU Decree No. 57 of 2024 concerning the certification of the 2024 Southeast Maluku Regency election to the Court. The preliminary hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on Panel 1 on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

The Petitioners’ legal counsel, Meifie Hanafi Rabrusun in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 mentioned the vote results based on the Respondent were as follows: the Petitioners received 25,038 votes, Candidate Pair 02 Djamaludin Koedoeboen-Willibrordus Lefteuw gained 5,790 votes, and Candidate Pair 03 M. Thaher Hanubun-Charlos Viali Rahantoknam obtained 28,929 votes with a total of 59,757 valid votes.

The Petitioners found several structured, systematic, and massive violations from the vote results. These included allegations of partiality by the Southeast Maluku Regency KPU and its staff in managing the election, the Respondent's failure to act on recommendations from the Southeast Maluku Regency Bawaslu (election supervisory body) regarding a revote, widespread misuse of voting rights to secure the win for candidate pair 03, and the active participation of district heads in favor for candidate pair 03. Additionally, the Petitioners highlighted the involvement of civil servants (ASN), Regional Heads (Ohoi Heads), Village Heads, Village Secretaries, and other village apparatus in efforts to ensure the victory of Candidate Pair 03. 

Bawaslu recommended a revote in several districts; but, the Respondent failed to implement this in certain areas, including TPS (polling station) 001 and TPS 002 in Dian Pulau Village, Hoat Sorbay District; TPS 001 in Hoor Islam Village and TPS 001 in Mun Werfan Village, North West Kei Besar District; TPS 004, TPS 006, and TPS 011 in Langgur Village, Kei Kecil District; and TPS 001 in Ohoiseb Village, South East Kei Kecil District. Additionally, village heads and their staff were reportedly involved as covert operatives for candidate pair 03's campaign. These village heads actively supported the campaign by establishing victory posts in their villages, directing residents to attend campaign events, and engaging in door-to-door outreach to secure votes for candidate pair 03. Also, some village heads were allegedly appointed as PPS (polling committee) and KPPS (polling station working committee) officials, further raising concerns about partiality.

“The Petitioners requested the Court to disqualify Candidate Pair 03 M. Thaher Hanubun-Charlos Viali Rahantoknam due to structured, systematic, and massive [violation]. [We request the Court to] certify Candidate Pair 01 Martinus Sergius-Ahmad Yani Rahawarin as the winner in the 2024 Southeast Maluku Regency election. [We request the Court to] order the Southeast Maluku KPU to release Decree concerning the certification of Candidate Pair 01 Martinus Sergius-Ahmad Yani Rahawarin as the elected candidate in 2024,” asserted legal counsel Claudiski Aritonang when reading the petition.

The petition for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author: Sri Pujianti
Editor: N. Rosi
Translator: Syifa Amelia/FS

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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