Bawaslu member M. Bahrun Mustofa when testifying during the hearing of Case Number 45/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Regent General Election Results Dispute (PHPU Bup) on Panel 2. The hearing was chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, alongside Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani in the Constitutional Court on Monday, January 20, 2025. Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Respondent, the Ponogoro Regency KPU (Elections Commission) clarified that there were no issues concerning the high school diploma or its equivalent for regent candidate 02 Sugiri Sancoko as stipulated in Article 10 of the Regional Head Elections Law, candidates for regent, mayor, or their deputies must at least 25 years old and have a minimum education level of a high school diploma or equivalent.

“All high school diplomas of the four candidate pairs have been verified,” stated R. Gaguk Ika Prayitna, Chair of the Ponorogo Regency KPU and legal counsel Taufik Hidayat in the examination hearing for Case No. 45/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Ponorogo Regency election results dispute on Monday, January 20, 2025.

The Respondent clarified that the public questioned the alleged inauthenticity of Sugiri Sancoko's bachelor's degree certificate. The Petitioners stated that Sugiri Sancoko utilized a Bachelor of Economics degree in Management from Tritunggal University, Surabaya, dated July 24, 2006. However, the Petitioners believed that the degree was obtained through an invalid process, citing failure to prove the certificate does exist and is listed in the database of the Higher Education Service Institute for Region VII. A letter from the institute, dated October 7, 2021, confirmed that Sugiri Sancoko's name was not found in the student records of Tritunggal University.

The Respondent stated that Ponorogo KPU had visited Tritunggal University to verify the diploma. However, their visit took place on a Saturday afternoon when the campus was already closed. Consequently, the Respondent directly clarified with Sugiri Sancoko. It was revealed that the issue of the alleged forged diploma had previously been reported to the East Java Regional Police, which concluded that no criminal activity had occurred.

Therefore, the Respondent concluded that the Petitioners’ argument regarding the use of an invalid document in Sugiri Sancoko's nomination requirements, specifically his diploma, was unfounded. They emphasized that the primary focus was on the high school diploma or its equivalent, as mandated by the applicable regulations.

In addition, the Relevant Party, Candidate Pair 02 Sugiri Sancoko and Lisdyarita, also testified on the same day. The Relevant Party’s legal counsel, Indra Priangkasa, stated that the Relevant Party denied allegations of using invalid documents for the nomination requirements. According to a statement letter issued by the rector of Tritunggal University of Surabaya, Sugiri Sancoko is an alumnus who successfully passed the graduation examination in July 2006 and was officially awarded a Bachelor of Economics (SE) degree on July 24, 2006.

Sugiri Sancoko was recorded as a student of Tritunggal University for the academic year 2002/2003. Meanwhile, the Higher Education Database (PDDIKTI) was started to record new students for the 2003/2004 academic year, so that is why Sugiri Sancoko's data was not recorded in PDDIKTI.

The Relevant Party also refuted the allegation of transferring officials within six months of the candidate pair's certification as transferring officials occurred on March 21, 2024, while the regulation prohibiting such transfers only came into effect on March 22, 2024, as the candidate pair certification was announced on September 22, 2024.

"The time gap between the certification of the decree on March 21 and its enforcement on April 1, 2024, is a result of government administrative procedures," said Indra before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Panel 2.

Besides, a member of Ponorogo Regency Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body) Jenny Susanto stated that he received a report regarding alleged violations related to the transfer of officials within six months of the candidate pair's certification. However, the report was not followed up as it did not meet the formal and material requirements. No reports related to alleged violations in the nomination process and the certification of candidate pairs not meeting the candidate requirements were received either.

Also read: Ipong-Segoro Reveal Neighborhood Unit Mobilization behind Ponorogo Incumbent Regent's Victory

The Petitioners are Candidate Pair 01 Ipong Muchlissoni–Segoro Luhur Kusumo. In the petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Ponorogo Regency KPU Decree No. 2191 of 2024, concerning the certification of the 2024 Ponorogo Regency election results, dated December 3, 2024. They also sought a declaration from the Court stating that Candidate Pair 02 Sugiri Sancoko–Lisdyarita did not meet the requirements to participate in the election. Alternatively, the Petitioners requested the Court to order a revote for the Ponorogo Regency election without Sugiri and Lisdyarita.

The petition for Case No. 45/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author: Mimi Kartika
Editor: N. Rosi

Translator: Syifa Amelia/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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