The Petitioners’ legal counsel Ade Yan Yan Hasbullah at the preliminary hearing for Case No. 155/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, Wednesday (1/15/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Various problems were revealed in the petition for Case No. 155/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Sarmi Regency election results dispute. This petition was read out by the legal counsel of Candidate Pair 02 Yanni–Jemmi Esau Maban, Ade Yan Yan Hasbullah, at the preliminary hearing.

The hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1 on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The Sarmi Regency KPU (Elections Commission) is the Respondent while Candidate Pair 01 Dominggus Catue–Jumriati is the Relevant Party.

One of the alleged issues was the participation of state civil apparatus (ASN), which allegedly relates to the Relevant Party’s position. The Petitioners claimed Regent Candidate 01 is a civil servant in Sarmi Regency, previously serving as the head of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) at the Sarmi Regency Health Office. Meanwhile, the vice regent candidate is currently chairperson of the Sarmi Regency DPRD (Legislative Council) for 2020–2025.

Given these positions, the Petitioners argued, the Relevant Party can access the regional revenue and expenditure budget (APBD) of Sarmi Regency, including the budget for the Village Community Empowerment Office on November 26, 2024.

“So, the head of the Village Community Empowerment Office, in distributing village funds, requested statements and support from village heads for Candidate Pair 01, including demanding Rp40 million for the victory of Candidate Pair 01,” stated Ade.

Besides, the Petitioners also mentioned vote buying practices with varying amount of monetary rewards starting from Rp100,000-Rp300,000 given to local community.

They also mentioned several issues related to ethnicity, religion, race, and inter-group (SARA) that were directed at them. At the hearing, the Petitioners questioned the role of the Sarmi Regency Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) in addressing this SARA-related issue.

“Has anything been processed as an official finding by Bawaslu?” questioned Ade.

Respondent’s Involvement

Several allegations from the Petitioners relating to the Sarmi Regency KPU (Respondent) in the election process, citing a failure of the voting notification letter to reach the voters.

The Petitioners also argued about the lapse in verifying voter identities at various polling stations.

“KPPS [polling station working committee] has never checked the voting notification letter, so many people bring ID cards that were different from those on the notification letters,” revealed Ade.

On election day, the Petitioners also raised concerns about intimidation allegedly carried out by the supervisory committee against vice regent candidate 02 Jemmi Esau Maban. According to the Petitioners, Jemmi was forced to leave by the supervisory committee and the Relevant Party’s campaign team.

Additionally, regent candidate 02 Yanni was forced to leave by the head of KPPS. “[She was forced to leave] because she did not bring a notification letter, despite her residence being only a few meters away from the polling station,” explained Ade.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Sarmi Regency KPU Decree concerning the certification of recapitulation of the 2024 Sarmi Regency election results; to certify the Petitioners as the elected candidate; and to order the Sarmi Regency KPU to release the election certification decree.

The Petitioners also requested the Court to order the Sarmi Regency KPU to do revote at all polling stations throughout the Sarmi Regency.

The petition for Case No. 155/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author         : Ashri Fadilla
Editor          : N. Rosi
Translator     : Syifa Amelia/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.

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