Refuting Allegations of Student Mobilization in Rokan Hilir Regent Election

Zubaidah and Nurmaidani representing Rokan Hilir Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) at the examination hearing for Case No. 31/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, Monday (1/20/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

JAKARTA (MKRI) – Allegations of structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations, including the mobilization of students, were among the issues addressed by Rokan Hilir Election Commission (KPU) in the 2024 Rokan Hilir regent election results dispute. The Rokan Hilir KPU as the Respondent in Case No. 31/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 presented its response during the examination hearing held at Building II of the Constitutional Court (MK) on Monday, January 20, 2025.

The examination hearing, held to hear testimonies from the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu, as well as to validate evidence, was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) alongside Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah as Panel 1. The Petitioners in this case were the Rokan Hilir Regent-Vice Regent candidates, Afrizal Sintong and Setiawan (Candidate Pair 01), while the Relevant Party was Candidate Pair 02, Bistamam and Jhony Charles.

In the hearing, the Rokan Hilir KPU, represented by legal counsel Sastriawan, stated that they had never received any recommendations from the Rokan Hilir Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) concerning TSM violations. This included allegations of student mobilization, as claimed by the Petitioners in the previous hearing.

"Your Honor, the mobilization of students is considered a TSM violation. However, based on the information we received, we did not receive any recommendations, Your Honor," stated Sastriawan.

The Respondent addressed the Petitioners' argument concerning the educational background of the Relevant Party by clarifying that the Relevant Party's high school diploma had been verified by the Provincial Education Office. Consequently, the Respondent stated that there were no remaining issues regarding this matter.

The Respondent deemed the Petitioners’ allegations to be inaccurate. In response, in their petitums, they requested that the Court affirm the validity of the KPU Rokan Hilir Decree No. 1508 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Rokan Hilir regent election results dispute.

In line with the Respondent, the Relevant Party, in their statement, also addressed the issue of student mobilization. They denied any involvement and claimed to have no knowledge of the matter.

"The Relevant Party, the campaign team, and the volunteer team knew absolutely nothing about the mobilization activities of students pursuing higher education outside the Rokan Hilir Regency area," stated the Relevant Party’s legal counsel Cutra Andika Siregar.

The Relevant Party emphasized that there were no issues regarding their educational background, as the inconsistencies between the names on the ID cards (KTP) and the diplomas had been resolved through court rulings. For Bistamam, the Pekanbaru District Court issued a decision on July 29, 2024, and for Jhony Charles, the Rokan Hilir District Court issued a decision on August 1, 2024. Both rulings were finalized before the 2024 Rokan Hilir Regent Election contestation.

The Rokan Hilir Bawaslu presented several written statements from the Riau Bawaslu, including regarding the issue of student mobilization. The Riau Bawaslu acknowledged receiving a report on December 3, 2024, but stated that it was not followed up because it was submitted after the reporting deadline.

"The report cannot proceed with the material examination because it was submitted after the reporting deadline, as stipulated in the Regulation of the Elections Supervisory Body Number 9 of 2020, Article 13, Paragraph (2), which sets the final deadline for submitting reports of alleged TSM violations on voting day," explained Zubaidah, the Rokan Hilir Bawaslu chairperson.

The Rokan Hilir Bawaslu clarified that, during the election, they had issued one recommendation, which addressed administrative and ethical violations by the election organizers at TPS 02 Kepenghuluan Rantaubais Village, Tanah Putih District. As a result of this violation, Bawaslu recommended improvements to the administration of voter transfer information and the issuance of written warnings.

"[We recommend] a written warning sanction to the chairperson and members of the KPPS [polling station working committee] at TPS 02 in Rantaubais Village, Tanah Putih District," said Zubaidah.

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Refuting Allegations of Student Mobilization in Rokan Hilir Regent Election