The Petitioners’ legal counsel Kamarudin Taib at ruling hearing on the 2024 Taliabu Island regent election results dispute, Monday (5/5/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) stated that regent-vice regent candidates number 2 Citra Puspa Sari Mus-La Utu Ahmadi as the Petitioners had not questioned the official wealth report (LHKPN) of Taliabu Island Regency regent candidate number 1 Sashabila Widya L. Mus during the registration for the 2024 Taliabu Island regent election, but did so after the revote. The Court’s legal consideration was delivered by Constitutional Justice M. Guntur Hamzah at the ruling hearing for Decision No. 315/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on Monday, May 5, 2025.

Therefore, the Court asserted, the Petitioners’ argument that Sashabila Widya L. Mus had been dishonest in the election for submitting the wealth report, which had included the bankrupt estate of Ahmad Hidayat Mus, who had been declared bankrupt by the Central Jakarta District Court in Decision No. 73/Pdt.SusPKPU/2020/PN.Niaga.Jkt.Pst on July 6, 2020, was legally groundless.

Allegation of Vote Buying

The Court also was not convinced of the Petitioners’ allegation of vote buying through social aids during the 2024 Taliabu Island regent election, citing lack of strong evidence. The Petitioners only included a report to the Regency Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) without any evidence of the alleged vote buying and social aids.

The Court could not confirm whether distribution of money had happened since there was no certainty who the money had been distributed to, who had distributed it, and to buy votes for whom. Not to mention, Justice Guntur added, Bawaslu confirmed that there was a report related to the Petitioners’ argument, but the Regency Bawaslu had followed it up by issuing a report of election allegations. They stated that the report had not been registered for not meeting material requirements.

Therefore, the Court asserted, the Petitioners’ allegation of vote buying through social aids in the 2024 Taliabu Island regent election to benefit candidate pair number 1 was legally groundless.

“[The Court] declares the Petitioners’ petition inadmissible,” said Chief Justice Suhartoyo delivering the verdict from the plenary courtroom.

Also read:

Taliabu Regent Candidate Sashabila Allegedly Misreported Assets

Taliabu KPU: Sashabila Not Declared Bankrupt by Any Court

At the preliminary hearing on Friday, April 25, the Petitioners alleged that the Taliabu Island General Elections Commission (KPU) as Respondent has let regent-vice regent candidates number 1 Sashabila Widya L. Mus–La Ode Yasir run in the election despite not being eligible. Shasabila Widya L. Mus has allegedly been dishonest when publishing her official wealth report (LHKPN) following the provision under Article 7 paragraph (2) letter j of Law No. 10 of 2016 on Regional Elections (Pilkada Law).

The Petitioners argued that Sashabila’s LHPKN included the bankrupt estate of Ahmad Hidayat Mus, who had been declared bankrupt by the Jakarta District Court Decision on July 6, 2020. Therefore, they requested that the Court disqualify candidate pair number 1 Sashabila Widya L. Mus–La Ode Yasir and candidate pair number 3 Abidin Jaaba–Dedi Mirzan for not meeting the requirements for the 2024 Taliabu Island regent candidate pairs; annul the Taliabu Island Regency KPU Decree No. 22 of 2025 on the Amendment to the Taliabu Island Regency KPU Decree No. 188 of 2024 on the stipulation of the 2024 Taliabu Island regent election candidate pairs issued on the election results announcement date on April 7, 2025 at 20:03 WIT.

Also read:

Violations Alleged at 15 Polling Stations in Taliabu Island

Taliabu Island Bawaslu Claims KPU Failed to Implement 10 Revote Recommendations

Court Highlights Allegations of KPU Taliabu Ignoring Revote Recommendation

Court Orders Taliabu Island KPU to Do a Revote at 9 Polling Stations

 

Also read:

Petition for Case No. 315/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Respondent’s response

Statement by Relevant Party

Statement by Bawaslu

 

Author         : Sri Pujianti
Editor          : N. Rosi
PR               : Fauzan F.
Translator     : 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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