The Relevant Party's legal counsel Sipghotulloh Mujaddidi testifying for the 2024 Blitar Regency election results dispute hearing for case No. 141/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 with agenda includes the hearing of testimonies from the Respondent, Relevant Party, and the Blitar City Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and the validation of evidence from the parties Friday (1/17/2025). Photo by MKRI.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Blitar City General Election Commission (KPU) as the Respondent insisted that they implemented the recommendation by two district election supervisory committees (PPK) of Sananwetan and Sukorejo, which called for a revote in 13 polling stations. The recommendations were implemented through a legal review.

The Respondent’s legal counsel Arya Bimantara presented the argument in the examination hearing of case No. 141/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 in plenary courtroom on Friday, January 17, 2025. This hearing agenda includes the hearing of testimonies from the Respondent, Relevant Party, and the Blitar City Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and the validation of evidence from the parties.

“Such recommendations have been addressed by the Blitar City KPU through a legal review,” explained Arya in the hearing chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra accompanied by Justices Arsul Sani and Ridwan Mansyur.

However, Arya stated that such a recommendation could not be further examined by the Respondent due to lack of evidence. The legal facts also do not point to the violations stated by the PPK.

“In the PPK recommendations, there was no evidence in the form of photos, videos, or legal review. [The recommendation] only stated the violation of Article 12 of Pilkada Law,” explained Abdul Aziz Al Kaharudin as the Respondent.

In the petitums, the Respondent requests the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and declare the validity of the Respondent’s decree on the certification of the 2024 Blitar mayor-vice mayor vote recapitulation result.

The Relevant Party (Syauqul Muhibbin and Elim Tyu Samba), represented by Sipghotullah Mujaddidi, provided a similar testimony to the Respondent, stating that the recommendations had been followed up by the Respondent through a legal review. However, the recommendations were not realized due to the lack of a legal basis.

“Based on the information we obtained from online media, a PPK member claimed that the recommendation was not implemented through a plenary meeting,” said Mujaddidi.

In their petitums, the Relevant Party wishes the Court to dismiss the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and uphold the validity of the Respondent’s decree on the certification of vote recapitulation result of the 2024 Blitar City mayor-vice mayor.

The panel also heard of the Blitar City Bawaslu testimony, represented by Roma Hudi Fitrianto. He stated that the recommendation for a revote was due to a report from the Petitioner citing a violation of Article 112 paragraph (2) letter a of Pilkada Law jo. Article 50 paragraph (3) letter a of KPU Regulation No. 17 of 2024. Additionally, the recommendation for a revote was argued based on the unprofessionalism and partiality of the Respondent.

Roma outlined the unprofessionalism of the Respondent, stating that their policies and actions do not reflect their intention to conduct a revote as recommended by Sananwetan and Sukorejo PPK, following the applicable laws and regulations.

Also read: Court Asked to Disqualify Mayor Candidates Ibin-Elim Due to Vote Buying

In the preliminary hearing on January 8, 2025, candidate pair 1 (Bambang Rianto dan Bayu Setyo Kuncoro) served as the Petitioners in case No. 141/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025. The Petitioners alleged violations had occurred before and after the election day, including the distribution of free meals by the campaign team of mayor-vice mayor candidates 02 Syauqul Muhibbin-Elim Tyu Sambadi (Ibin-Elim) at the mosques of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Ussisalittakwa Mosque in Blitar Regency. The Petitioners also alleged Ibin-Elim had distributed staple food items and money worth Rp150,000 at Pakunden Permai Cluster.

In the petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul two Blitar City KPU decrees. The Petitioners argued that Ibin-Elim had committed violations including before and after election day. Such violations affected the election results, particularly on the votes for Bambang-Bayu.

Author           : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi

Editor            : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                 : Fauzan Febriyan
Translator      : Ryan Alfian/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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