Bawaslu’s witness Sukma Umbara Tirta Firdaus at the examination hearing on the Pamekasan regent election results dispute case No. 183/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before panel 2 justices, Friday (1/17/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Pamekasan Regency KPU (Elections Commission) as Respondent argued that the implementation of the 2024 Pamekasan regent election had already followed procedures and there were no flaws as argued by the Petitioners. They believe the Petitioners’ arguments regarding procedural flaws in the election are unclear (obscuur libel).

This was the Respondent’s answer delivered through legal counsel Jufaldi at a hearing on Friday, January 17, 2025. The examination hearing for Case Number 183/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Pamekasan regent-vice regent election results dispute was to hear the response by the Respondent as well as the testimonies of the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), as well as the validation of evidence. 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.

Jufaldi explained that there had been no deceased voters in the final voters list (DPT) whose ballots were cast by other individuals. He claimed to have reviewed the Petitioners’ evidence, especially the statement letters from the village head. He also revealed that after the Respondent had investigated the alleged deceased voters, the Petitioners found 3 people who are still alive.

“The Respondent’s team has conducted a sampling and crosschecked the people who were presumed deceased. It turns out that out of the presumed deceased, 22 people are still alive,” he said.

Jufaldi emphasized that there had been no objections from the Petitioners’ witnesses during the counting process at the polling station level. In fact, then, there was no notes from the poll supervisor.

He also refuted the Petitioners’ allegation of double voting, the evidence of which the Respondent had reviewed. He stated that the Petitioners’ evidence was unclear because it was only a video clip that needed verification. Moreover, there were no objections from the Petitioners’ witnesses during the voting and counting process.

“If the Petitioners argue that there are people who cast a vote more than once, they should describe it in detail so as not to cause wrong perceptions or wild accusations that are inappropriate and are only based on the video evidence that they presented in the petition and [the video] does not show the identity of the person in question,” Jufaldi asserted.

The Respondent requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and declare the Respondent’s decree on the certification of the 2024 Pamekasan regent election results valid.

In line with the Respondent, the Relevant Party through legal counsel Sri Sugeng Pujatmiko also denied the Petitioners’ argument on the presumed deceased voters. This was proven by a certificate from the village head, a statement from the people concerned with photos of them holding their ID cards, and video evidence. “After we examined them, of the 75 who were presumed deceased, 30 people are alive and well,” Sugeng said.

The Relevant Party requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and declare the Respondent’s decree on the certification of the 2024 Pamekasan regent election results valid.

Violation Findings

Meanwhile, Pamekasan Regency Bawaslu, represented by Sukma Umbara Tirta Firdaus, stated that they had received a report from a person by the name of Zaini. The report stated that there had been administrative violations in eight districts in Pamekasan Regency.

“Based on Zaini’s report, there were alleged administrative violations of individuals voting multiple times at TPS 4 of Tebul Timur Village, TPS 8 of Waru Timur Village, TPS 5 of Panaan Village, TPS 7 of Blaben Village,” Firdaus said.

He also stated that the Pamekasan Regency Bawaslu had found alleged money politics violations during the campaign period. The findings were proven to be a criminal offense.

Read also: Pamekasan Regent Election Flawed, Baqir-Taufadi Suspect KPPS

Candidate Pair Number 3 Muhammad Baqir Aminatullah and Taufadi (Baqir-Taufadi) argued that there had been a procedural flaw in the 2024 Pamekasan regent election. They argued that the deviation in vote acquisition between the Petitioners and Candidate Pair Number 2 had been due to flawed procedure and structured, systematic and massive (TSM) violations. The Petitioners suspected the massive and systematic involvement of polling station working committee (KPPS) as many polling stations (TPS) recorded nearly 100 percent voter turnout.

Therefore, in the petitums, the Petitioners requested the Pamekasan Regency KPU to conduct a revote in seven districts: Pegantenan, Proppo, Palengaan, Batumarmar, Tlanakan, Pasean, and Pademawu.

Author         : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor          : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR              : Fauzan Febriyan
Translator    : Dinita Aktivia/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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