The Relevant Party’s legal counsel Atang Irawan testifying in the examination hearing for Case No. 173/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the regent election results dispute before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2. Thursday (1/23/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) – Head of Bungo Regency Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body) Ahmadi explained that the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) of Tanah Tumbuh District found the alleged violations in the form of involvement of Lubuk Niur Village Apparatus who openly mobilized voters to vote for Candidate Pair 02 Jumiwan Aguza-Maidani. Tanah Tumbuh Panwaslu argued that it was considered an alleged violation of neutrality and the code of ethics of village officials.

"The Lubuk Niur Village Apparatus on behalf of Eka Leonita made a finger symbol as a form of support for candidate pair 02, which is an alleged violation of the neutrality of village apparatus and/or laws and regulations," said Ahmadi in the examination hearing to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

Ahmadi continued that the Tanah Tumbuh Panwaslu forwarded the recommendations of the study results to the Community and Village Empowerment Service for the alleged violations, which were further pursued by the Head of Lubuk Niur Village Rio by giving a warning to Eka Leonita.

In addition, Bungo Bawaslu recommended the Bungo Regency KPU (Elections Commission) for the follow-up to the report of alleged ineligible voters at numerous TPS (polling stations). Bawaslu believed that the Bungo Regency KPU (Respondent) had pursued the recommendation by imposing sanctions on several KPPS (polling station working committee) Officers at the reported TPS.

Meanwhile, the Bungo KPU explained that only six polling stations where each had one voter without having an electronic ID card were able to vote, while the Petitioners argued that it happened in 60 TPS. Further, the Respondent was able to prove that the names mentioned were 17 years old, registered on the final voter list (DPT), and domiciled at the TPS location, meaning that they are eligible.

"The Petitioner's argument stating that there were 60 TPSs with ineligible voters was unclear, vague, and legally baseless," said the Respondent's legal counsel M Ali Fernandes before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2.

Read also: Dedy Putra-Tri Wahyu Demand a Revote in Bungo Regent Election

The Relevant Party Candidate Pair 02 Jumiwan Aguza-Maidani also denied the argument filed by Candidate Pair 01 Dedy Putra-Tri Wahyu Hidayat (Petitioners) who argued that 258 voters were ineligible. Based on evidence of ownership of an e-ID which was strengthened with voters’ statement letter from 55 TPS across 30 hamlets, they had met the requirements as voters and were entitled to cast. The Petitioners questioned the allegation in 60 TPS but only mentioned the names of ineligible voters in 55 TPS.

“After the Relevant Party investigated and verified through reassignment of the Relevant Party's witnesses, it was found that voters across 55 TPS, 30 hamlets, and 12 districts were all registered on the final voter list, were 17 years old or older on election day, and had electronic ID or resident biodata," explained the Relevant Party's legal counsel Atang Irawan.

The Respondent has certified the vote count results, stipulating candidate pair 1 Dedy Putra-Tri Wahyu Hidayat with 94,782 votes and candidate pair 2 Jumiwan Aguza-Maidani with 95,876 votes. However, the Petitioners suspected that these results were influenced by violations by the Respondent and the Relevant Party, who obtained the most votes, which affected the vote counts of other candidate pairs. In the petitums, the Petitioner requests the Court to annul the Bungo Regency KPU Decree No. 1469 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Bungo regent-vice regent election dated December 5, 2024 specifically the votes at 64 polling stations. The Petitioners also wish that the Court will order the Bungo KPU to carry out a revote at said polling stations.

Author: Mimi Kartika
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR: Fauzan Febriyan
Translator: Syifa Amelia/FS

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.

---