The Petitioners’ legal counsel attending the ruling hearing for case No. 219/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 PHPU on the South Nias regent election results dispute, Wednesday (2/5/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) dismissed the petition for Case No. 219/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 South Nias regent election results dispute, filed by Candidate Pair 4 Fajarius Laia and Saifaoita Buulolo. At the ruling hearing on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, the Court deemed the arguments presented by the Petitioners not reasonable according to law.

In its legal considerations, delivered by Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbaningsih, the Court took into account the Petitioners’ allegation of the violation of campaign fund limit from individuals, committed by Candidate Pair 1 Sokhiatulo Laia-Yusuf Nakhe (Relevant Party). Based on the legal facts at the hearing, the Relevant Party is said to have accepted campaign donation worth Rp300 million from multiple individuals, not one. The Court saw no issue in the fund and deems it compliant with the applicable provisions and election regulations.

“Based on the legal considerations above, the Petitioners’ argument concerning the indication of the violation of campaign fund donation from individuals received by the Relevant Party is not reasonable according to law,” Justice Enny stated.

The Court also emphasized the Petitioners, as prescribed in Article 158 of Regional Election Law, did not have the legal standing as they did not meet the vote margin threshold. With a difference of 32,937 votes (25%) between them and the Relevant Party, the Petitioners are not eligible for subsequent hearings.

“Considering the legal considerations above, the Court is of the opinion that, even though the Petitioners are Regent Candidate Pair 4 in the 2024 South Nias election, the Petitioners did not satisfy the requirements to file a petition as prescribed in Article 158 paragraph (2) letter b of Law No. 10 of 2016. Thus, according to the Court, the Petitioners did not have the legal standing to file the a quo petition. Thus, the Respondent’s and the Relevant Party’s exceptions that the Petitioners did not have legal standing are reasonable according to law,” Justice Enny added.

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Allegation of Invalid Diploma Arises in South Nias Regency Election

South Nias KPU and Bawaslu Deny Allegation of Invalid Diploma

At the preliminary hearing on January 8, 2025, the Petitioners rejected the election results and argued that the South Nias Regency KPU (Elections Commission) as Respondent had committed structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violation by certifying Candidate Pair 01 as the elected candidate while the candidate pair did not qualify for the 2024 South Nias Regency election. They also alleged there had been misuse of campaign funds.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to disqualify the Relevant Party from the 2024 South Nias Regency election. They also requested the Court to state that if the Relevant Party is disqualified, the vote acquisition is as follows: Firman Giawa-Robert MZ. Dakhi earning 4,771 votes, Idealisman Dachi-Foluaha Bidaya earning 31,208 votes, and Fajarius Laia-Sifaoita Buulolo earning 31,494 votes.

Author              : Utami Argawati
Editor                : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR:                  : Tiara Agustina
Translator         : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin/Yuniar Widiastuti (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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