The Ogan Komering Ulu Bawaslu testifying at the examination hearing for the 2024 Ogan Komering Ulu regent election case No. 14/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu, Tuesday (1/21/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Based on the Ogan Komering Ulu Regency Bawaslu’s (Elections Supervisory Body) supervision on the allegation of the Regency KPU’s (Elections Commission) unprofessionalism in organizing the second public debate, which was not completed until the end, it was declared that the report had fulfilled the formal and material requirements.

The statement was delivered by Anggi Irawan from the Ogan Komering Ulu Regency Bawaslu at the second hearing for the 2024 Ogan Komering Ulu regent election results dispute on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. 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. The second hearing for Case No. 14/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was to hear the Respondent’s response and testimonies by the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body).

Regarding the report from Candidate Pair Number 01 Yudi Purna Nugraha and Yenny Elita (Petitioners), Bawaslu has conducted further studies. It has also recommended the report to be forwarded to the Election Organizer Ethics Council (DKPP).

“For the implementation of recommendations for handling this violation, Bawaslu is still waiting for a reply from the DKPP regarding the follow-up of this report,” explained Anggi.

ASN’s Neutrality 

The Ogan Komering Ulu Regency KPU (Respondent) responded to the petition at this follow-up hearing. It legal counsel, Bowie Haraswan, stated that the allegation of the mobilization of state civil apparatus (ASN), regional officials, and neighborhood associations (RT) for the benefit of Candidate Number 02 Teddy Meilwansyah-Marjito Bachri (Relevant Party), was not true. The Petitioners did not elaborate on where, when, and how and the impact of the violations committed by the Relevant Party, and the Petitioners should have reported these allegations to Bawaslu to resolve such issues.

“However, until now there has never been a report, finding, or recommendation from Ogan Komering Ulu Regency Bawaslu to the Respondent as claimed by the Petitioners. Therefore, this argument is baseless and must be rejected,” stated Bowie.

The Relevant Party’s legal counsel Yongki Ardinata denied the allegation that the head of the Regency Bawaslu had given Rp26 million to the secretariat and Panwascam (District election supervisory committee) commissioners to protect and secure the Relevant Party’s team. “The claim that the Relevant Party, who were said to have left money [to the secretariat and Panwascam commissioner], is not true,” stated Yongki.

Also read:  Yudi-Yenny Allege Violations in Voting, Counting, and Recapitulation of OKU Regent Election Results

At the preliminary hearing on Thursday, January 9, 2025, the Petitioners asked for the cancellation of the Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) KPU Decree No. 1355 of 2024 concerning the certification of the 2024 Ogan Komering Ulu regent election results dated December 2, 2024. The Petitioners leveled several allegations of fraudulent practices, starting from pre-election, voting, counting, and recapitulation of votes. Based on the Respondent’s data, the votes of the candidates are as follows: Candidate Number 01 Yudi Purna Nugraha-Yenny Elita received 104,778 votes, Candidate Number 02 Teddy Meilwansyah-Marjito Bachri received 198,587 votes, so there was a difference of 93,809 votes between the two candidates.

According to the Petitioners, the difference in votes occurred due to violations and fraud at the pre-election stage, the alleged violations are in creating the self-image of Candidate Number 02 (Relevant Party) by abusing authority, programs, and activities. The examples of the alleged violations are: road improvement program in East Baturaja and Lengkiti, the use of local government facilities, and the involvement of ASN.

As such, the Petitioner requested that the Court order the OKU Regency KPU to conduct a revote of the OKU regent-vice regent transparently, excluding Candidate Pair 02 Teddy Meilwansyah-Marjito Bachri, at least in the villages of Baturaja Lama, Air Paoh, Kemalaraja, Tanjung Baru, Pasar Baru, Sekar Jaya, Sepancar Lawang Kulon, Kemelak Bindung Langit (East Baturaja District); Talang Jawa, Saung Naga (West Baturaja District); Gunung Meraksa, Muara Jaya, Surau, Beringin, Muara Saeh, Lubuk Tupak, Karang Lantang, (Lubuk Batang District); and Suka Pindah, Bunglai, and Kedaton (Kedaton Peninjauan Raya District).

Also read:

The Petition for Case No. 14/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025
Response by the Respondent
Statement by Bawaslu
Statement by the Relevant Party

Author               : Sri Pujianti
Editor                : N. Rosi
Translator         : Dinita Aktivia/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

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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