The KPU’s (Respondent) legal counsel Muhammad Jusril testifying at the examination hearing for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Southeast Maluku regent election results dispute, Thursday (1/23/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held another hearing for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 Southeast Maluku regent election results dispute on Thursday, January 23, 2025. The hearing was held to hear testimonies of the Respondent, the Relevant Party (Candidate Pair 03 M. Thaher Hanubun–Charlos Viali Rahantoknam), and Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body). It was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah, in one of the courtrooms.

In response to the petition filed by Candidate Pair 01 Martinus Sergius and Ahmad Yani Rahawarin (Petitioners), the Southeast Maluku KPU (Elections Commission), represented by M. Jusril, clarified that the KPU had acted on seven Bawaslu recommendations regarding a revote at 11 polling stations (TPS). The Respondent outlined that 2 recommendations involving 3 polling stations had been successfully implemented, 4 recommendations concerning 5 polling stations did not meet the criteria for a revote, and 1 recommendation involving 3 polling stations could not be executed due to the impossibility of performance.

“The revote recommendation for TPS 01 and TPS 02 in Danar Ternate Village, Southeast Kei Kecil District, issued by the Southeast Maluku Bawaslu on December 2, 2024, was executed on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Similarly, the revote recommendation for TPS 01 in Mun Ohoiir Village, Northwest Kei Besar District was implemented on Thursday, December 5, 2024,” explained Jusril.

Recommendations and Further Actions

Meanwhile, Richardo E.A. Somnaikubun, a representative from the Southeast Maluku Bawaslu, stated that the Southeast Maluku KPU had followed up on seven recommendations for a revote. However, he noted that one of the recommendations could not be implemented due to insufficient time for logistics procurement.

“There was also a recommendation for the local government regarding the impartiality of village heads. However, there has been no update regarding the three village heads who campaigned using attributes of one of the candidate pairs. Bawaslu also recommended that the local government, as their superior authority, take further action. Additionally, Bawaslu issued an ethical recommendation for the PPK (district election committee) of Northeast Kei Besar to establish a code of ethics. Since the KPU did not act on this recommendation, Bawaslu issued a formal written warning to the KPU,” said Richardo E.A. Somnaikubun.

Also read: Village Head in Southeast Maluku Involved in Candidate’s Winning

At the preliminary examination hearing on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, the Petitioners requested the annulment of the Southeast Maluku KPU Decree No. 57 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Southeast Maluku regent election results. They cited the vote count for each candidate pair according to the Respondent, with the Petitioners receiving 25,038 votes, Candidate Pair 02 Djamaludin Koedoeboen–Willibrordus Lefteuw securing 5,790 votes, and Candidate Pair 03 M. Thaher Hanubun–Charlos Viali Rahantoknam obtaining 28,929 votes, bringing the total valid votes to 59,757.

Based on the vote acquisition, the Petitioners identified several structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations. These violations included: the Southeast Maluku KPU and its staff failing to remain neutral during the election; the failure to implement several recommendations from the Southeast Maluku Bawaslu regarding a revote; the widespread illicit voting to benefit Candidate Pair 03; the involvement of district heads to campaign for Candidate Pair 03; the involvement of state civil apparatus (ASN) in supporting Candidate Pair 03; and the participation of village heads (kepala ohoi), village officials, village secretaries, and other village personnel in supporting Candidate Pair 03. Although Bawaslu had authorized revotes in several districts, the Respondent had yet to implement them in certain areas, including TPS 001 and TPS 002 of Dian Pulau Village, Sorbay Panas District; TPS 001 of Hoor Islam Village and TPS 001 of Mun Werfan Village in North West Kei Besar District; TPS 004, TPS 006, TPS 011 of Langgur Village in Kei Kecil District; and TPS 001 of Ohoiseb Village in Southeast Kei Kecil District. Furthermore, the involvement of village heads and their staff in campaigning for Candidate Pair 03 was described as covert campaign.

 

Also read:

Petition for Case No. 268/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Response by the Respondent

Statement by Bawaslu

Statement by the Relevant Party

Author         : Sri Pujianti
Editor          : N. Rosi
Translator    : Nazila Rikhusshuba/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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