The Respondent’s legal counsel Hendra Kasim at the examination hearing for Case No. 69/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Morotai Island Regency election results dispute, Thursday (1/23/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – The Respondent, the Morotai Island KPU (Elections Commission), confirmed that they had not passed unqualified candidate pair, including due to their employment status. It was stated at the examination hearing for Case No. 69/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the 2024 Morotai Island Regency election results dispute on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

The examination hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1 to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, Bawaslu, and to approve evidence from the parties.

The Petitioners are Candidate Pair 01 Deny Garuda-Muhammad Qubais Baba, while the Relevant Party is Candidate Pair 03 Rusli Sibua-Rio Christian Pawane.

The Respondent argued to having certified the Relevant Party Rusli Sibua as a regent candidate following applicable provisions. It also denied the employment status on the ID card argued by the Petitioners, by ensuring that Rusli Sibua was not a civil servant (ASN) based on the ID used to register as a participant in the 2024 Morotai Island Regency election.

“Three documents were used to check whether someone is a civil servant or not: ID card, CV, and B-nomination-KWK form,” said the Relevant Party’s legal counsel Hendra Kasim.

The Respondent also responded to the claim regarding the Relevant Party’s liability, by saying that it had been paid off.

“The issue regarding ASN and having liabilities has been questioned in an election dispute and election administrative dispute, which have received a final and legally binding decision through the Supreme Court,” said Hendra.

The Relevant Party, represented by legal counsel Birri At Tamami Effendi, also confirmed that he is no longer an ASN. He has changed his employment status on his ID on August 2024, before the registration for the election. He also said that his debts had been paid off and that the case had been terminated.

“With the issuance of the [investigation termination warrant], we have obtained the SP2HP (investigation progress notice) and the results of the case title that the investigation of the case was termination on the grounds of expiration, so the case was declared closed,” said Birri.

Meanwhile, the Morotai Island Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) ensured that it had conducted supervision and verification as per its authority. From the supervision conducted, no violations had been found.

Thus, in the 2024 Morotai Island election, Bawaslu did not issue recommendations, but a forwarding letter to the National Civil Service Agency (BKN).

“Two cases involving civil servants were forwarded. The first involves Muchlis Bay. The second involves a district head and a district secretary of Southwest Morotai, whose case is still being processed,” said Murjat Untung, a member of the Morotai Island Bawaslu.

Also read: Allegation of Fake Identity in Morotai Island Regent Election

At the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Petitioners alleged fake identity on the employment column had been listed on the regent candidate 03’s ID card, citing in the column it should be ASN, not self-employed. In addition, they also argued that the Relevant Party had passed the requirements for regent candidate as a debtor of Rp92 billion based on a 2012 Tobelo District Court decision.

The Petitioners also argued about the difference between the number of voters on the attendance lists and those on the C-result forms in all districts of Morotai Island Regency. In fact, there is a total difference of 1,590 votes and 2,467 unsigned ballots, making a total of 4,057 votes.

Also read:

The Petition for Case No. 69/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025
Response by the Respondent
Statement by Bawaslu
Statement by the Relevant Party

Author         : Ashri Fadilla
Editor          : N. Rosi
Translator    : Syifa Amelia/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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