The Petitioners’ legal counsel attending the ruling hearing for Case No.239/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Humbang Hasundutan regent election results dispute, Wednesday (2/5/2025) in the plenary courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, the Constitutional Court (MK) dismissed the petition during the ruling hearing on the 2024 Humbang Hasundutan regent election results dispute. This case was filed by candidate pair 1 Birma Sinaga-Erwin Princen Banggas Sihite. The Court believed that the petition failed to meet the vote margin threshold which was stipulated in Article 158 of Law No. 10 of 2016 on the Regional Election Law as the formal requirement to file a petition.

In its legal considerations, delivered by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, the Court explained that the Petitioners’ petition failed to meet the formal requirements of the petition. Therefore, the Court surely declares the Petitioners’ petition unclear, vague, or obscuur.

He further said that because the Court considered the Petitioners’ petition vague, other exceptions, the Respondent's response, the testimony of the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (election supervisory body), and the petition’s subject matter were not considered further.

"Regarding the arguments for the remainder, those will not be considered further because they are deemed irrelevant," said Deputy Chief Justice Saldi.

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Vote Buying by State Civil Apparatus Alleged in the Humbang Hasundutan Regent Election

The Petitioners argued that the distribution of money by the state civil apparatus (ASN) was a key factor in the high vote count for Candidate Pair 3 Oloan P. Nababan-Junita Rebeka Marbun. They claimed that the 1,210 votes secured by candidate pair 3 in Sijamapolang District resulted from money distribution carried out by ASN and the pair’s volunteers. This allegation was supported by the arrest of an ASN member, Rolima Br Nainggolan, by Members of Gakumdu (Integrated Law Enforcement) Humbang Hasundutan Regency while attempting to distribute money in Sigulok Village. Similarly, candidate pair 3’s volunteers, Ronald Hotusoit and Harry S.H. Purba were caught by Gakumdu members in the same regency.

Thus, the Petitioners in its petitums requested the Court to declare that candidate pair 3 was proven legally and convincingly to have committed structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations and fraud in the Humbang Hasundutan Regency Election. They also requested the Court to disqualify candidate pair 3.

Author : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor : Fitri Yuliana
Translator : Ryan Alfian/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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