The petitioner’s legal counsel, Eka Rahmawati testifying in the preliminary hearing of the regent election dispute case No. 80/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra with Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani in panel 2 courtroom, Wednesday (1/15/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The South Buton regent-vice regent candidate pair 3, Aliadi and La Ode Rusyamin, argued the interim regent had favored candidate pair 2 Muhammad Adios and La Ode Risawal (Relevant Party). The Petitioners presented this argument at the preliminary hearing for case No. 80/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the regent election results dispute on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

“These violations were displayed vulgarly by regional officials, particularly the interim South Buton regent,” stated the Petitioners’ legal counsel Eka Rahmawati before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2.

The Petitioners stated that the interim regent had issued a decree of appointment and termination of civil apparatus (ASN) on November 18, 2024, but annulled it the next day. They also alleged the interim regent of mobilization of ASN and higher-ranking officials of Buton Selatan Regency Government to support candidate pair 2.

They also claimed that a vote buying practice known as “serangan fajar” or “dawn attack” (lit.) had occurred a day before the election, involving the distribution of monetary rewards worth Rp500,000 to secure the victory for candidate pair 2. The Petitioners reported such violations to the Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), who failed to investigate.

Additionally, the Petitioners also argued additional voters had been added to the special voters list (DPK) at several polling stations (TPS), including those in the Villages of Burangasi (TPS 002), Burangasi Rumbia (TPS 001), Lontoi (TPS 002), Batuawu (TPS 002), Lakambu (TPS 003), Molona (TPS 001), Masiri (TPS 002 and 003), Majapahit (TPS 001), Bola (TPS 001), Lawela (TPS 002), Gunung Sejuk (TPS 002), Hendea (TPS 002), Gerak Makmur (TPS 003), Lipumangau (TPS 001), and Bahari Dua (TPS 001).

The South Buton KPU Decree No. 716 of 2024 has certified the South Buton regent-vice regent election result as follows: candidate pair 1 Samirudin-La Muhadi with 11,424 votes, candidate pair 2 Muhammad Adios-La Ode Risawal with 17,681 votes, candidate pair 3 Aliadi-La Ode Rusyamin with 14,242 votes, and candidate pair 4 Hardodi-La Ode Amiruddin with 2,799 votes. The Petitioners request the Court to annul said decree and to order the South Buton KPU to do a revote at all polling stations in South Buton Regency or at least at the polling stations mentioned above.

Author              : Mimi Kartika
Editor                : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                     : Fauzan Febriyan
Translator          : Ryan Alfian/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

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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