Legal counsel A. Muhammad Asrun testifying in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 65/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Panel 2, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 01 Christo Mario Y. Pranda-Richardus Tata Sontan (the Petitioners) challenged the failure to publicly announce the status of Edistasius Endi, regent candidate 02 as a former convict. It was revealed by the Petitioners’ legal counsel, Andi M. Asrun, in the preliminary hearing of the 2024 West Manggarai election results dispute at the Court. The hearing for Case Number 65/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Panel 2, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

Legal counsel A. Muhammad Asrun argues that the West Manggarai KPU (election commission) behaved unprofessionally by allowing Edistasius, a former convict. This is because Edistasius has never publicly announced himself as a prisoner through mass media registered in the Press Council since the initial registration stage.

“The KPU, as the Respondent, approved Candidate 02 for Regent (the Relevant Party) despite his failure to meet the requirements, specifically by not disclosing and publicly announcing his history as a former convict in a gambling case,” revealed Asrun.

Asrun further explained that according to Article 7 paragraph (2) letter g in conjunction with Article 45, paragraph (2) letters a and b of the Regional Election Law, former convicts are required to disclose their identities through mass media registered with the Press Council as part of the administrative requirements to be eligible as Candidates for Regent and Deputy Regent. Therefore, the Petitioners argue that candidate pair 02 vote results should be declared null and void because Edistasius, the regent candidate, failed to meet the administrative requirements outlined in the Regional Election Law.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the West Manggarai KPU Decree No. 804 of 2024 concerning the certification of the 2024 West Manggarai Regency election results dated December 3, 2024, and requested the Court to order the Respondent to do a revote in all polling stations.(*)

Author: Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR: Fauzan Febriyan
Translator: Syifa Amelia/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.

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