KPU Toba Regency Addresses Robinson Sitorus Candidacy

The Relevant Party’s legal counsel Rikardo Hutapea testifying in the examination hearing of Case No. 94/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on Toba regent election results dispute, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, joined by Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani in panel 2 courtroom, Thursday, (1/23/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

JAKARTA (MKRI) — Toba Regency Election Commission (the Respondent) argued against candidate pair 1 Poltak Sitorus and Anugerah Puriam Naiborhu (the Petitioners), who alleged that the Respondent announced candidate pair 2, Robinson Sitorus and Tonny Simanjuntak, in the Toba regent election despite Robinson Sitorus not resigning from his position as a civil servant. The Respondent stated the allegation was baseless.

The Respondent’s legal counsel, Henry Simon Sitinjak delivered the statement in the hearing of Case No. 94/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Toba regent election results dispute, Thursday, January 23, 2025. The hearing included the Respondent’s response, testimonies by the Relevant Party and Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu). Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra presided over the hearing, accompanied by Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani in panel 1 courtroom.

Henry explained that Robinson had resigned as a civil servant in Attorney General’s Office since his candidacy as evidenced in a copy letter of early retirement request for Robinson Sitorus as a Sub-Middle Senior Attorney in his candidacy as in the 2024 Toba regent-vice regent candidate to Education and Training Agency in Jakarta, dated August 26, 2024. Other evidence included the copy of the statement letter of the Education and Training Agency of the Attorney General’s Office dated September 6, 2024, stating the receipt and processing of early retirement request of Robinson Sitorus as a civil servant in the said office.

“It [the evidence is included] under T-6, T-7, T-8, and T-9,” explained Henry when inquired on the evidence of Robinson’s resignation as a civil servant by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra.

Henry also addressed the Petitioners’ argument that Robinson’s candidacy disturbed and affected their votes. They argued that Robinson should not receive votes as his candidacy is legally flawed. In response, Henry explained that every citizen has the equal right to be nominated, as stipulated under Article 7 of Pilkada Law.

As such, the Respondent requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and declare the validity of the Respondent's decree on the certification of the 2024 Toba regent-vice regent election results.

Meanwhile, the legal counsel of candidate pair 3, Effendi Sintong Panangian Napitupulu and Audi Murphy O. Sitorus (the Relevant Party), Rikardo Hutapea also denied the Petitioners’ petition. They argued that Robinson submitted the statement of resignation as a civil servant and the statement letter that the resignation is being processed, as one of the requirements.

Rikardo added, the Petitioners’ challenged the allegation of administration violation after the votes recapitulation results in the regency level despite not raising these concerns initially. Moreover, the vote results clearly show that the Petitioners did not receive the most votes.

“The Petitioners did not raise the allegation of administrative violation by the Respondent during the announcement of candidate pair 2, Robinson Sitorus and Tonny Simanjuntak to Toba Regency Bawaslu or filing a lawsuit to the State Administrative Court,” explained Rikardo.

As such, the Relevant Party requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and declare the validity of the Respondent's decree on the certification of the 2024 Toba regent-vice regent election results.

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KPU Toba Regency Addresses Robinson Sitorus Candidacy