Mudrika on behalf of Bawaslu delivering his statement during the examination hearing of Case No. 77/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Regent Election Result Dispute (PHPU Bup) on Panel 2, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, accompanied by Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani at the Constitutional Court, Friday (1/24/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 05 Hurmin-Gerry Trisatwika as Relevant Party refuted the petition filed by Candidate Pair 03 Tontawi Jauhari-A. Harris. Ab stated that there was partiality of the district head, village head, and village apparatus in the 2024 Sarolangun regent election. Its rebuttal was delivered in the examination hearing to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, Bawaslu (Election Supervisory Body), and to approve evidence from parties for Case No. 77/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 which was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Friday, January 24, 2025.

Erick asserted that the alleged partiality of various district heads in Sarolangan Regency such as Pauh, Sarolangun, Batin VIII, Mandiangin, Mandiangin Timur, and Air Hitam was wrong, citing the Relevant Party has never involved district heads. Even further, their vote acquisition in Mandiangin Timur District was below candidate pair 04.

"Not a single report was registered to the Sarolangun Regency Bawaslu," said Erick.

Erick also explained that the Petitioners’ petition that the village head encouraged residents to vote for the Relevant Party to receive Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) and the Family Hope Program (PKH), and the Head of Seko Besar Village excluded residents from the list of BLT and PKH recipients for not supporting the Relevant Party, is not true and just an assumption, citing no single statement from society who were treated that way and felt threatened as argued by the Petitioners. Instead, the Relevant Party has never involved the village head.

Therefore, the Relevant Party requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition in its entirety and to affirm the validity and legally binding of the Sarolangun Regency KPU (Elections Commission) Decree on the certification of the 2024 Sarolangun regent election results.

Aligning with the Relevant Party, the Sarolangun Regency KPU (Respondent) represented by Enda Permata Sari also denied the Petitioner's claim regarding the district head's partiality in the 2024 Sarolangun regent election. Enda believed that the Petitioners only cited the name of the district head's position without mentioning the name, what form of support was given, who was influenced, and when the support was given.

She further argued that the Petitioners did not explain whether such violations had been reported to the Election Supervisor. Because, referring to the election regulation, should such an election violation happen as argued by the Petitioners, it was under the authority of Bawaslu to pursue further.

Enda also denied the mobilization of village officials to secure the win for a particular candidate pair. She said that the Petitioners did not explain in detail anyway, not even the location. It includes how the mobilization of village officials relates to the increase in votes for the Relevant Party or the decrease in votes for the Petitioners which leads to the difference in votes acquisition.

“Until now, the Respondent has never received any recommendations or notifications from the Sarolangun Regency Bawaslu regarding the violations described by the Petitioners,” said Enda.

Therefore, the Respondent requested the Court to reject the Petitioners’ petition and affirm the validity and legally binding of the Respondent's Decree on the certification of the Sarolangun Regency election results.

On behalf of the Sarolangun Regency Bawaslu, Mudrika testified regarding the Petitioners’ argument on the district head and village head’s partiality. Mudrika revealed that Sarolangun Regency Bawaslu did not receive any reports and/or findings of election violations and election dispute petition related to the Petitioners’ argument.

Also read: District and Village Heads Partiality Triggers Sarolangun Regency Election Dispute

In the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Candidate Pair 03 Tontawi Jauhari-A. Harris. Ab argued district and village head’s partiality in the 2024 Sarolangun regent election which ultimately affected the votes turnout. The alleged partiality was considered to favor Candidate Pair 05 Hurmin-Gerry Trisatwika (Relevant Party).

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Sarolangun Regency KPU Decree concerning the certification of the 2024 Sarolangun Regency election results and to order the Sarolangun Regency KPU to do a revote in all administrative areas without involving candidate pair 05. They also requested the Court to disqualify candidate pair 05 from the election.

Author: Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR: Fauzan Febriyan
Translator: Syifa Amelia/FS (RA)

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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