Khaeran from Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) while testifying in the examination hearing for case No. 168/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 concerning the 2024 Palopo City mayoral election results dispute at the Constitutional Court (1/22/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA, MKRI - The Palopo City General Election Commission (KPU) as Respondent explained the change of the status from Not Qualified (TMS) to Qualified (MS) on the requirements of Palopo Mayor Candidate Number 4 Trisal Tahir relating to the Paket C diploma validity and authenticity. This was conveyed in the hearing of the Respondent's response, testimonies by the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) regarding the dispute over The 2024 Palopo City mayoral election results at the Court (MK) for Case No. 168/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025.

“The Respondent in a plenary meeting decided to change the status of a candidate Trishal Tahir from Not Qualified (TMS) to Qualified (MS) [on the requirements of Palopo Mayor candidacy],” stated the Respondent's legal counsel Zulqiyam Ekaputra in front of Panel 2 of Justice led by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. 

The Respondent denied the allegation of not implementing the decree of the Palopo City Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu). There is not one of the agreements in the Election Supervisory Body's (Bawaslu) decree ordering the Respondent to change Trisal Tahir's status from Not Qualified (TMS) to Qualified (MS). Therefore, during the hearing, the Respondent explained the true chronology of the change in status from Not Qualified (TMS) to Qualified (MS) of the Relevant Party.

The Respondent stated that the Palopo City KPU initially doubted the validity of the administrative documents of the requirements of the mayoral candidate Trisal Tahir in the form of a Paket C diploma even though the Palopo City KPU had clarified the issue to the Education Office of Region II of Jaka City Administration.

However, Trisal Tahir objected and filed a dispute with the Palopo City Bawaslu. The Respondent then attended a meeting with the Palopo Bawaslu that was held on September 21, 2024, after consulting and coordinating with the South Sulawesi Province KPU and the Republic of Indonesia KPU. The meeting resulted in an agreement as stated in Palopo Bawaslu’s Decree that Palopo KPU will clarify to the nominating party, candidate, and relevant school as stipulated in KPU Regulation No.10 Year 2024.

The Respondent and the Chairperson of the Palopo Bawaslu conducted a clarification with the Principal of Yusha Community Learning Centre (PKBM) online. The principal confirmed that Trisal Tahir had attended PKBM Yusha in 2015/2016 but there was no trace of documents to strengthen his statement. However, the principal of PKBM is ready to take legal responsibility for his statement.

The Respondent also conducted clarification to the nominating party Candidate Number 4 Trisal Tahir and Akhmad Sarifuddin, the Gerindra Party (the Great Movement Party), and the Democratic Party. Trisal Tahir also made and signed a statement letter which basically stated that the Paket C diploma he had was correct and issued by an authorized official and he was willing to take legal responsibility.

The Respondent also received two letters of information and one letter of refutation/clarification from the PKBM Yusha which explained that Trishal Tahir was registered at PKBM Yusha school. The Respondent in a plenary meeting decided to change the status of the candidate Trishal Tahir from Not Qualified (TMS) to Qualified (MS).

The Relevant Party (candidate number 4) stated that the petition of candidate number 2 Farid Kasim and Nurhaenih (the Petitioners) did not question the dispute over the results of the 2024 Palopo mayoral election which affected the results of all candidate pairs. The petitioners only argued the administrative requirements of the candidates, which the dispute or the problem had been resolved before this petition was filed to the Constitutional Court.

“Thus, according to the Relevant Party, the Court does not have the authority to hear the Petitioners’ petition as determined by the laws and regulations,” asserts the Relevant Party's legal counsel Nursari.

The Chairperson of the Palopo City Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), Khaerana, also explained that the Palopo KPU had previously declared Trisal Tahir's candidacy ineligible, and there were reports of alleged election violations. However, the report was not proven as an alleged election violation but was proven as a violation of the election organizer's code of ethics to be further recommended to the Election Organiser Honour Council (DKPP).

The Petitioners in its petitum request the Court to cancel the Palopo City KPU Decree No. 620 of 2024 concerning the certification of the 2024 Palopo mayoral election result dated December 4, 2024; declare the disqualification of Candidate Number 4 Trisal Tahir and Akhmad Sarifuddin as participants in the 2024 Palopo mayoral election; Or at least ordering the Palopo City KPU to conduct a re-voting of the Palopo mayoral election with three candidates, as follows: Candidate Number 1 Putri Dakka and Haidir Basir, Candidate Number 2 Farid Kasim and Nurhaenih, and Candidate Number 3 Rahmat Masri Bandaso and Andi Tenri Karta, without Candidate Number 4 Trisal Tahir and Akhmad Syarifuddin.

Author        : Mimi Kartika
Editor         : Tiara Agustina
Translator : Dinita Aktivia/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.

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