Legal counsels Aswan Askun and La Ode Mbunai at the preliminary examination hearing for Case No. 84/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Muna regent election results dispute, Wednesday (1/15/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) - The Constitutional Court (MK) held the preliminary examination hearing for Case No. 84/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Muna regent election results dispute. The hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1 on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

In the hearing, the Muna regent-vice regent candidates 02 La Ode M Rajiun Tumada and Purnama Ramadhan (Petitioners) were given the opportunity to read their petitions. The Muna Election Commission (KPU) serves as the Respondent, while Candidate Pair 01 Bachrun and La Ode Asrafil is the Relevant Party.

A number of issues are outlined in the petition. Among them was the deployment of state civil apparatus (ASN) to rally support for the Relevant Party as the incumbent. The Petitioners mentioned a meeting to form the Relevant Party's campaign team in the Muna Regent's office hall. According to the Petitioners, the meeting was attended by early childhood education (PAUD), elementary school (SD), and junior high school (SMP) teachers, as well as heads of health centers (Puskesmas). In addition to the meeting, the Petitioners also highlighted the instruction from an elementary school principal to teachers to support the Relevant Party.

The Petitioners also argued that there was a collection of money by a number of district heads, village heads, and heads of health centers for the needs of the Relevant Party. "[We allege] that there are a number of district heads, village heads, and heads of health centers as donors to commit money politics [or vote buying] to encourage the community to choose the incumbent candidate," said legal counsel Aswan Asku.

Furthermore, the Petitioners mentioned the existing Whatsapp Group containing officials in the Muna Regency Government who were inaugurated on June 6 and July 12, 2024. The officials who were inaugurated numbered 52, consisting of 31 echelon II officials and 21 administrator and supervisory officials. According to the Petitioners, the WhatsApp Group name was an acronym for Candidate Pair 01.

"The rotation of the 31 officials, Your Honor, is in the Bahtera WhatsApp Group. [The group name] is an acronym for Candidate Pair 01. In the group, there are 15 heads of offices inaugurated on June 6, 2024," said Aswan.

Exploitation of Programs and Facilities

The Relevant Party, as the incumbent, was considered by the Petitioners to have exploited a number of programs and facilities of the Muna Regency Government during the campaign period. Among these is the distribution program of 32 thousand tons of corn seeds for seven districts: Tongkuno, Kabawo, Kontukowuna, Watopute, Kabangka, Parigi, and Bone.

The facilities exploited by the Relevant Party include a speedboat owned by the Muna Regency Government for campaign mobility in several areas and the official residence of the Vice Regent of Muna.

"The incumbent candidate used the Vice Regent's official residence as a place for a quick count of votes for the Muna regent and vice regent election, which at that time was attended by echelon officials, including the Regional Secretary of Muna Regency," he stated.

The Petitioners also mentioned that the Relevant Party took advantage of the recipients of the Family Hope Program (PKH). According to them, these recipients were gathered and directed to vote for the Relevant Party.

The Respondent’s Involvement

The Petitioners further alleged that the Muna KPU, the Respondent in this case, had shown bias in favor of the Relevant Party. This bias was evident from the printing of the Relevant Party's vision-mission book, which included the Muna Regency Government logo. The book was distributed during the Muna regent candidates debate on November 2, 2024, raising concerns about the impartiality of the Muna KPU in the election process.

The Petitioners also considered that bias was found in the billboards printed by the Respondent. The billboards in question were installed by the polling committee (PPS) and the polling station working committee (KPPS) members in all villages and districts. The issue was the billboard content, which, according to the Petitioners, contained an invitation to vote for the Relevant Party.

"It was very well planned that the Respondent printed billboards or banners, and all PPS and KPPS members installed the billboards simultaneously in all villages and districts of Muna Regency on November 24, 2024. On the billboards, there was an appeal and invitation to vote for Candidate Pair 1," said the legal counsel.

Based on the arguments, the Petitioners requested that the Court annul the Muna KPU decree on the certification of the 2024 Muna regent election vote count recapitulation, disqualify the Relevant Party, and order a revote involving only the remaining four candidate pairs.

Also read the petition for Case No. 84/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/202

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