The Respondent’s legal counsel MH D Mario Talaohu (left) in the examination hearing for Case No. 108/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the South Buru Regency election results dispute, on Tuesday (1/21) in the panel 3 courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Respondent, the South Buru Regency KPU (Elections Commission) denied the allegations of errors in the vote counting process filed by Candidate Pair 03 Safitri Malik Soulisa-Hemfri Lesnussa. It was stated in the examination hearing presided over by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Anwar Usman and Enny Nurbaningsih on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, for Case No. 108/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

The Respondent's legal counsel MH D Mario Talaohu clarified that the number of final voter list (DPT) in the South Buru Regency election was 51,739, with 41,523 voters participating. Out of the 41,523 voters, 548 ballots were invalid, and 40,975 votes were valid, corresponding to the total votes for candidate pairs 01, 02, and 03. This data contradicts the Petitioners’ argument of errors in vote counting and vote mixing due to violations and is regarded as an attempt to find excuses.

The South Buru Regency KPU also denied the argument of the removal of 4,884 votes across 14 polling stations (TPS). "The Petitioners assert that violations occurred in 14 TPS, Your Honor, and we strongly deny these allegations," stated Mario in the Plenary Courtroom.

Meanwhile, the Relevant Party Candidate Pair 01 La Hamidi–Gerson Eliaser Selsily, questioned the Petitioners’ argument of violations at 14 TPS. Their legal counsel Dudi Usman Sahupala stated that witnesses for candidate pair 03 failed to record any special incidents or objections in the C-Special Incidents and/or Witness Objections Model at the 14 TPS.

The Petitioners’ witnesses also signed the C-Results-Copy-KWK-Regent Model Form at the 14 TPS. "It indicates that the Petitioners’ witnesses agreed to and accepted the vote results of the Petitioners, the Relevant Party, and other regent candidates in South Buru Regency," said Dudi.

The Head of the South Buru Regency Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body), Robo Souwakil stated that Bawaslu had issued an appeal letter to the South Buru Regency KPU No. 207/K.Bawaslu-Bursel/PM.00.02/11/2024, dated November 29, 2024, urging the Respondent to conduct the plenary recapitulation meeting at the district level following the applicable laws and regulations.

Additionally, according to the results of the supervision, the South Buru Regency Bawaslu found no objections from the witnesses of any candidate pairs during the recapitulation process conducted by the South Buru Regency KPU. The South Buru Regency Bawaslu did not identify any instances of vote reduction fraud in the 14 TPSs that were alleged by the Petitioners.

"Concerning the Petitioners’ argument of vote reduction at the 14 TPSs, based on the South Buru Regency Bawaslu's supervision results, no fraudulent activities as alleged by the Petitioners were found," said Robo.

In the preliminary hearing on Monday, January 13, 2025, the Petitioners alleged that valid votes were combined with invalid votes in the South Buru Regency election. They identified violations affecting votes in at least 14 polling stations located in Leksula Village and Waemulang Village, Leksula District; Nanali Village, Pasir Putih Village, and Bala-bala Village, Kepala Madan District; and Labuang Village, Namrole District. 

Penulis: Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor  : Tiara Agustina
Translator: Syifa Amelia/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.

---