The Respondent’s legal counsel, Bisri Fansyur LN testifying in the examination hearing of case No. 294/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Sikka regent election results dispute on Thursday (1/23/2025) in panel 3 courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Sikka Regency Election Commissions (KPU) as the Respondent denied the candidate pair 2 Suitbertus Amandus and Robertus Ray (the Petitioners)’ allegations of double voters in the final voters list (DPT) and additional final voters list (DPTb), vote-buying by candidate pair 4 (the Relevant Party), and structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations. The Respondent viewed the allegations as groundless and argued that the petition should be dismissed.

“[Sikka Regency] Bawaslu did not issue any recommendation on the TSM [allegations], Your Honors,” stated Bisri Fansyuri LN, the Respondent’s legal counsel in the hearing chaired by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat and accompanied by Justices Anwar Usman and Enny Urbaningsih in panel 3 courtroom.

In addition, the Petitioners argued that the low voter turnout was due to the C-notification-KWK form being distributed one day before election day. The Respondent considered this argument unclear and legally groundless, stating that the form distribution was conducted one day before election day to ensure voters’ rights based on KPU regulation No. 1774 of 2024 on voting technical guidance.

The Respondent stated that the Petitioners did not provide sufficient information on the location and polling stations regarding the double voters’ allegation of nine voters registered in DPT and DPTb, making it groundless and dismissible. As for the vote-buying allegation involving the Relevant Party, the Respondent did not receive any official report or written recommendation from Sikka Regency Bawaslu, stating the allegation as legally groundless.  

Meanwhile, on behalf of the Relevant Party, Eleonarius Dawa stated that the Sikka regent-vice regent election was conducted according to procedure and democratic principles. He dismissed the TSM allegations as false, arguing that they were based on the Petitioners’ assumptions without clear details on who, when, and the impacts of the violations.

Sikka Regency Bawaslu member Muhajir Latif stated that they received several reports alleging violations in the regional head election, including vote-buying by candidate pair 4’s campaign team, Paket JOSS. A report dated November 26, 2024, alleged that Paket JOSS campaign team distributed donation funds to Sikka Regency Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Managers (PCNU) on November 25, 2024, during the election silence. However, after investigation, Sikka Regency Bawaslu issued a status report notification on December 6, 2024, stating they were unable to further investigate as the report did not meet the criteria for election violations.

Sikka Regency Bawaslu received another report on similar violations dated November 30, 2024. This report stated that the Paket JOSS campaign team provided Rp15,000,000 to the Sikka Regency PCNU on November 25, 2024. Sikka Regency Bawaslu also did not further investigate the report as it did not satisfy the election violation criteria.

“Sikka Regency Bawaslu and East Nusa Tenggara Bawaslu resolved all reports filed by the Petitioners, stating they did not meet the criteria for election violations. Therefore, the Petitioners’ a quo argument was not proven and should be dismissed,” Muhajir added.

Also read: Suitbertus Amandus-Robertus Ray Call for Revote in Sikka Regency

In the preliminary hearing on January 14, 2025, the Sikka regent candidate pair 2 (the Petitioners) in case No. 294/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 argued that the Respondent showed partiality to candidate pair 4, through unequal law enforcement. The Petitioners argued that the violations were serious and harmed election principles. Thus, the Petitioners requested candidate pair 4 be disqualified from the Sikka regent election and/or a revote be conducted at all polling stations of Sikka Regency, emphasizing the need for election organizer professionalism.

Author           : Utami Argawati

Editor            : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                 : Tiara Agustina
Translator      : Ryan Alfian/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.

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