North Barito KPU Denies Voter Disenfranchisement

The Respondent’s legal counsel Hifdzil Alim in the examination hearing for Case No. 28/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 PHPU in the North Barito Regency election results dispute. Photo by MKRI/Ifa

JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Respondent, the North Barito KPU (Elections Commission) denied the Petitioners’ arguments in Case No. 28/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the 2024 North Barito Regency election results dispute. They confirmed that the voting process had been conducted under applicable regulations.

It was stated in the examination hearing on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, to hear the Respondent’s response, the testimony of the Relevant Party and Bawaslu, and approving evidence. The examination hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1.

The petition was filed by Candidate Pair 02 Akhmad Gunadi Nadalsyah–Sastra Jaya, while Candidate Pair 01 Gogo Purman Jaya–Hendro Nakalelo became the Relevant Party.

One of the arguments refuted by the Respondent was related to an incident at the polling station (TPS) 004 in Malawaken Village, Teweh Baru District. The Petitioners argued that 15 voters who are not showing their ID cards were unable to cast their vote.

However, despite not having their ID cards, the voters had brought the C-Notification KWK Form. Thus, KPPS (polling station working committee) officers conducted a verification process and found that all voters were listed in the final voter list (DPT), allowing them to vote. The Respondent believed that no objections were raised by any party regarding this incident.

"During the vote counting at TPS 004 Malawaken Village, there were no objections and no special incidents related to this event were conveyed by the TPS Supervisor, Candidate Pair 01’s witnesses, and Candidate Pair 02’s witnesses," revealed the Respondent’s legal counsel Hifdzil Alim.

The Respondent also refuted the petition concerning multiple uses of voting rights by utilizing leftover ballots. The Petitioners alleged this incident occurred at TPS 01 Karendan Village. In response, the Respondent clarified that the vote count for the candidate pairs remained unchanged, and the distribution of the leftover ballots did not affect this. They argued that no objections were raised in the TPS. “Thus, there is no special incident as stated by the Petitioners,” explained Hifdzil.

The Relevant Party also addressed the issue of voters not showing their ID cards. They explained that the incident at TPS 004 in Malawaken Village involved voters not showing their ID cards because they were heading to the fields, but they did have the C-Notification KWK Form with them.

"There was an incident, several voters did not bring their ID cards because they were going to the fields at the same time," said the Relevant Party’s legal counsel Heru Widodo.

Meanwhile, regarding the argument of the distribution of leftover ballots to candidate pairs at TPS 01 Karendan, the Relevant Party admitted that it never happened. "The Petitioners was the one who won in Karendan Village," revealed Heru.

The North Barito Bawaslu confirmed that no reports or findings related to the incident at TPS 01 Karendan were received. Meanwhile, regarding the incident at TPS 004 Malawaken, they confirmed that they received a report. Thus, The North Barito Bawaslu issued a recommendation to the North Barito KPU to conduct a revote.

"The North Barito Regency Bawaslu issued a status report notification dated December 2, 2024, which conveyed a recommendation to the North Barito KPU to hold a revote," said the Head of the North Barito Bawaslu, Adam Parawansa Shahbubakar.

Also read: North Barito Regency Candidates Allege Voting Issues

In the preliminary hearing on Monday, January 13, 2025, the Petitioners argued numerous violations in the 2024 North Barito Regency election results dispute, including several voters not showing their ID cards losing their voting rights, and the polling station being closed before its exact time.

Another issue raised by the Petitioners was the unlawful double voting, which was caused by leftover ballot papers being distributed to the witnesses at TPS 01 of Karendan Village, Lahei District.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested that the Court annul the North Barito KPU decree on the certification of the 2024 regent election results. They also requested the Court to order KPU to carry out a revote in four locations: TPS 04 of Malawaken Village in Teweh Baru District, TPS 01 of Karendan Village in Lahei District, TPS 01 of Melayu Village in Central Teweh District, and TPS 12 of Melayu Village in Central Teweh District.

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North Barito KPU Denies Voter Disenfranchisement