The Petitioners’ legal counsel, Muhammad Hakim Yunizar (left) attending the examination hearing of the Respondent and the Relevant Party, as well as the validation of evidence from the parties in case No. 184/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Bondowoso regent election dispute in panel 3 courtroom, Friday (1/17/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.
JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Bondowoso General Election Commission (KPU) (the Respondent) firmly rejects the arguments of the Petitioners in the Bondowoso regent-vice regent election results dispute. KPU presented the rebuttal on Friday, January 17, 2025, in panel 3 courtroom. The Petitioners—in case No. 184/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025—is the Bondowoso regent-vice regent candidate pair 2, Bambang Soekwanto and Mohammad Baqir (BAGUS).
In addition, the Respondent refuted the double voting claims, calling them baseless. “[The argument was] baseless, Your Honors. We believe that there were no special notes during the election and the voting,” explained Hakim, the Petitioners’ legal counsel, during the hearing chaired by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat with Constitutional Justices Enny Nurbaningsih and Anwar Usman.
The Respondent dismissed the claims of election violations, arguing that the alleged irregularities in six polling stations across four hamlets did not have a significant impact on the final vote. They further stated that even if a revote were held in these polling stations with 100 percent voter turnout favoring the Petitioners, it would not substantially alter the final results.
“These arguments were not violations, but rather demonstrated strong community trust,” Hakim emphasized.
He continued, addressing the Petitioners’ argument that the voters in the final voters list (DPT) who live outside the voting should not be registered in the DPT. “Because the voter eligibility follows Article 4 of the KPU regulation No. 7 of 2024 on the preparation of voters list in governor-vice governor, regent-vice regent, and mayor-vice mayor elections,” he explained.
Also, the necessity for a revote was baseless as it did not affect the overall election results. Based on the facts and evidence, the Respondent requests the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety.
Petitioners’ Witnesses in the Plenary Meeting
The Relevant Party, regent-vice regent candidate pair 1 (Abd. Hamid Wahid and As’ad Yahya Syafi’i), provided testimony during the hearing. Their legal counsel, Sri Sugeng Pujiatmiko, stated that the Petitioners’ witnesses had signed the D-Result-Village-KWK-Regent forms in all but 6 of the 23 districts. This indicates that the Petitioners have effectively acknowledged the vote recapitulation results at the District Election Committee (PPK) level.
The Relevant Party stated, despite the Petitioners’ witnesses being absent in the plenary meeting of vote recapitulation results at the PPK level, the results are still valid and proceeded as referred to in Article 12 paragraph (9) of KPU regulation No. 18 of 2024. “All [forms] have been signed by the Petitioners, except in six districts,” Sri added.
No Objections
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zairudin, representing the Bondowoso Regency Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), stated that during the supervisory process, there were no objections from the witnesses regarding the Petitioners’ arguments. He added, the witnesses from both candidate pairs were present in 17 polling stations and signed the C-result- and C-result-copy forms.
“All witnesses have signed [the forms] in the polling stations,” he emphasized. He added that the witnesses of candidate pair 2 did not sign the form at the regency level and walked out of the meeting.
Based on the supervisory result report, from the names listed by the Petitioners in polling stations 1-9 of Mengok Hamlet, Pujer district, 54 voted and signed the attendance list, while 1 was absent and 2 names were not recorded.
“In polling stations 1 and 2 of Ardisaeng, all nine individuals mentioned by the Petitioners cast their votes and signed the attendance list. Additionally, there is a special note regarding polling station 1, Your Honors,” Ahmad explained.
In the written statement, the Bondowoso Bawaslu stated that the Bawaslu Regency KPU is required to investigate based on applicable regulations. The Bawaslu will also monitor the follow-up actions from the recommendation letter, as referred to the KPU letter dated December 15, 2024. In this letter, the Bondowoso KPU takes special measures for the polling station working committees 01 of Mengok hamlet, Pujer district, for future assignments.
In addition, the Bondowoso Regency Bawaslu also issued a recommendation letter No. 114/PP.01.02/K.JI-05/12/2024 stating such report as an administrative violation in the election, which has been sent to the Bondowoso KPU for their attention. Based on the KPU letter No. 1607.a/HK.06-SD/3511/02/2024 dated December 15, 2024, the Bondowoso KPU also takes special measures for the polling station working committees 01 of Bandilan hamlet, Prajekan district, for future assignments.
Read also: Alleging Double Voting and Manipulation, Petitioners Request a Revote in Bondowoso
Previously, the Petitioners objected to the Bondowoso regent election, citing the violations that may harm the fundamental democratic principles as stipulated in the statutory laws and regulations. These violations include deceased voters in the final voters lists (DPT), even in the voters’ attendance lists. There were also double voters in some polling stations.
The Petitioners also revealed many voters working in other cities or abroad, such as in Bali and Malaysia, but their names are recorded as attending and voting. As such, the Petitioners requested the Court to order a revote at 16 polling stations in Bondowoso Regency. (*)
Author : Utami Argawati
Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR : Tiara Agustina
Translator : Ryan Alfian/Fuad Subhan (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.
Friday, January 17, 2025 | 11:15 WIB 126