The Parties examining the evidence of the Relevant Party's diploma before the panel, Wednesday (1/22/205). Photo by MKRI/Ifa

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The issue of diploma validity resurfaced in Case No. 112/PHPU.GUB-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 South Solok regent election results dispute. At the examination hearing to hear the responses from the Respondent, Relevant Party, and Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) and to validate evidence of the Parties, the South Solok Elections Commission (KPU) as the Respondent delivered their response on the validity of a regent candidate.

The Petitioners in this case are Candidate Pair 2 Armen Syahjohan and Boy Iswarmen and the Relevant Party are  Regent Candidate Pair 1 Khairunas and Yulian Efi.

The hearing for the case was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1.

First, the panel invited the Respondent to provide a response to the petition. Among the arguments addressed was the Petitioners' scrutiny of Khairunas's diploma. The Respondent stated that they had verified the diploma with the issuing institution, State High School (SMA) 1 of Padang City.

"The school confirmed that the person in question was a student of SMA 1 and finished his studies in SMA 1. Furthermore, the diploma in use was officially issued by SMA 1,” stated Samaratul Fuad, the Respondent’s legal counsel.

Based on the verification, the Respondent explained that the Relevant Party had indeed studied in a private school, namely YAPI High School. However, the Relevant Party took an equivalence examination at SMA 1 of Padang, thus his diploma and its legalized copies were issued by SMA 1.

"He went to school at YAPI. Then, his equivalence exam was at SMA 1 of Padang City. The diploma was issued by SMA 1 of Padang City,” Samaratul Fuad added.

The Relevant Party also supported that Khairunas’s diploma was issued in by SMA 1 since he had taken the equivalence exam there. The legal counsel of the Relevant Party, Elias Bere also explained that Khairunas studied at YAPI High School until the year 1988, then took the equivalence exam at SMA 1.

“So, he graduated in ‘88. In ‘88, Law No. 12 of 1954 was applicable, which was then amended by Law No. 289 and furthermore amended by Law No. 20 of 2003 on the National Education System," Elias said.

A student register book was presented at the hearing, containing a list of students taking the equivalence exam at State High School 1 Padang in 1988, including the Relevant Party who came from YAPI High School.

In addition, the Relevant Party also showed the original diploma before the panel.

“If it pleases Your Honors, we brought this [diploma] today. This is it if you want to touch, hold it against the light, we make [the diploma] as an evidence, including the legalized copies," said Elias while holding Khairunas’s high school diploma.

The panel then invited the Relevant Party to approach the bench and show the diploma. The Respondent and the South Solok Bawaslu (Statement Provider) were also invited to observe. At that time, the panel attempted to examine it against the other registered evidence, including a document issued by the Padang City Education Office.

After the inspection had been completed, all parties were asked to return to their respective places and the delivery of Statement was continued.

On that note, the South Solok Bawaslu revealed that they never received any reports. However, the Bawaslu reported to have accompanied the Respondent for verification at the school.

"We have accompanied the KPU in doing factual verification to the relevant high school. Then, there were no reports from the Petitioners related to the use of fake diploma," said Nila Puspita,  a member of the Bawaslu.

No Recommendation Issued by Bawaslu

Aside from the issue of diploma, the petition also highlighted the use of the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD) of the regency.

In response, the Respondent admitted to never receiving any recommendations from the South Solok Bawaslu.

“Regarding the use of APBD funds and regarding the involvement of state apparatus, to this day, the Respondent has never received any recommendations from Bawaslu,” argued Samaratul Fuad, the legal counsel of the Respondent.

The Respondent as the election organizer also claimed to have carried out the 2024 election in accordance with the applicable regulations.

Meanwhile, the South Solok Bawaslu explained that they never received any reports of misuse of the APBD.

"Then regarding the alleged use of APBD for vote buying, there were no reports of allegations related to the Petitioners' claim to the South Solok Bawaslu," stated Nila Puspita.

However, the Bawaslu stated that they received reports on the alleged misappropriation of social assistance distribution by the relevant departments. However, the report was not registered because it did not satisfy the material requirements, "Because there [in the report], there was no description of the incident related to the reported activities," he said.

Also read: Fake High School Diploma Allegations Spark Dispute in South Solok Regent Election

In the preliminary hearing, the Petitioners raised several issues, including the alleged use of a fraudulent high school diploma by the Relevant Party. The Petitioner claimed that Candidate Number 1, Khairunas, was listed as a graduate of Padang State High School on his diploma. However, in the Certificate of Completion of Learning (STTB), he was recorded as having graduated from YAPI High School. The Petitioners also argued that the incumbent had misused the South Solok Regency APBD.

Another violation argued by the Petitioner is the alleged intimidation by the Relevant Party. Based on the arguments, the Petitioners requested that the Court disqualify the candidacy and/or victory of the Relevant Party in the 2024 regent-vice regent election. The Court had also been requested to annul the South Solok KPU Decree No. 848 of 2024 on certification of the 2024 regent election results.

Also read:

The Petition for Case No. 112/PHPU.GUB-XXIII/2025

Statement by the Relevant Party

Statement by Bawaslu

Response by the Respondent

 

Author : Ashri Fadilla

Editor : N. Rosi

Translator : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin/FS (RA) (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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