Maruarar Siahaan and a witness testifying for the petitioners of case No. 331/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the 2024 North Barito regent election results dispute, Friday (9/12/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held an evidentiary hearing on dispute over the 2024 North Barito regent election results on Friday, September 12, 2025. The case No. 331/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was petitioned by candidate pair number 2 Jimmy Carter and Inriaty Karawaheni (Jimmy-Inri). This third hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on the first panel.

The parties presented experts and witnesses to provide statements and testimonies at the hearing. The Jimmy–Inri ticket (Petitioners) presented Maruarar Siahaan as an expert, along with witnesses Piki Rotama, Judi Itman, and Erna Wati. Candidate pair number 1 H. Shalahuddin–Felix Sonadie Y. Tingan (Relevant Party) presented two experts, Aswanto and Titi Angraini, as well as witnesses Rusiani and Rizal Fahlevi. Meanwhile, the North Barito Elections Commission or KPU (Respondent) presented Ilham Saputra as an expert, along with witnesses Elfi Rakhmawati, Andy Muliansyah, and Melani Ariyanti.

Social Engineering

As an expert for the Petitioners, former constitutional justice Maruarar Siahaan stated that when systematic, structured, and massive (TSM) violations and money politics (vote buying) are alleged, the stakeholders’ testimonies become crucial for proving the truth. Accordingly, if volunteers are paid and also act as voters, such conduct signifies a regional election that is not clean and thus cannot be accepted as the genuine will of the people.

“This condition constitutes a form of social engineering that carries the potential for corruption. The Constitutional Court, through social engineering, should disqualify the candidate pair. Difficult as it may be, this is necessary to eradicate corrupt practices so that the election in North Barito is declared void, paving the way for governance free from corruption and collusion,” Siahaan explained.

Money for Volunteers

Meanwhile, witness Piki Rotama, who served as coordinator of volunteers in Mukut Village of Lahei District, testified that his house was used as a campaign venue on July 17, 2025. “I was asked to seek support by collecting ID cards from prospective volunteers. I obtained 51 names from TPS (polling station) 01 in Mukut Village of Lahei District. I directly handed out money to 30 people, each receiving Rp300,000. The money came from Syamsul Jamil, the district-level coordinator in Lahei with a formal appointment by the KPU,” Rotama testified.

Similarly, witness Judi Itman recounted that on July 10, 2025, he was asked to record data for 16 family members. For this, he was given a total of Rp4,800,000 to distribute, with each person receiving Rp300,000. “The money was distributed at Rp300,000 per person, including myself, and I voted at TPS 05 in Jingah Village,” he testified.

The same was acknowledged by Erna Wati, who on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 received Rp300,000 to vote for candidate pair number 1, along with a card bearing the candidates’ symbol. 

Individual Campaign Donations

At the hearing, Ilham Saputra, presented by the Respondent as an expert, explained that in disseminating their vision and mission, candidate pairs may form volunteer teams. This is regulated under Article 12 paragraph (1) letter b of the KPU Regulation (PKPU) No. 12 of 2024 on campaigns. He emphasized that volunteers are groups who engage in activities to support a candidate pair voluntarily. In addition, volunteers may also contribute campaign funds, as provided in Article 7 paragraph (3) of PKPU No. 14 of 2024 on campaign financing.

“Campaign donations by individuals or private legal entities may be recorded in the volunteers’ receipts and expenditures report. These expenditures cover operational costs and are therefore permitted. Accordingly, this cannot be categorized as money politics, since such funds are a consequence of the volunteer team’s work in disseminating the candidates’ ideas,” Ilham explained.

Voter Invitations

Responding to allegations regarding voters who did not receive invitations, Elfi Rakhmawati, who was as a representative of the Central Teweh district election committee (PPK), stated that 10,813 invitations had been issued. However, she clarified that at TPS 01 in Melayu Village, Teweh Tengah District, many voters residing in the market area had relocated due to their work as sellers. In addition, some voters had undergone a change in status, with 16 individuals who had been voters in the November 27, 2024 election becoming military or police officers by August 6, 2025.

Meanwhile, according to Andy Muliansyah, a KPPS 4 (polling station working committee) officer at TPS 04 in Melayu Village, Central Teweh District, 203 invitations had not been delivered. This was because some voters had moved residence while retaining their registered addresses.

“At TPS 04, there were 575 registered (DPT) voters. Out of 203 who did not receive invitations, 83 still voted. A total of 354 voters came to the polling stations. Of these, 188 voted for candidate pair number 1, 164 voted for candidate pair number 2, and 2 were listed as additional voters (DPTb),” Andy explained.

Similarly, Melani Ariyanti, a KPPS officer at TPS 16 in Melayu Village, Central Teweh District, reported that there had been 587 registered voters, with 510 invitations delivered, and 77 not delivered.

“Thus, on August 6, 2025, the number of voters who came to vote was 391, with 9 voting using ID cards, while the rest used invitations,” she explained. 

Political Cost vs. Vote Buying

Former constitutional justice Aswanto, as an expert for the Relevant Party, stated that volunteer teams do not need to be influenced in any way to support their candidate. Volunteers in campaign teams represents political cost, and there is no prohibition against it as long as all financial records are in the candidate pair’s financial report.

“This includes costs provided to volunteers who have fought to secure victory for the candidates. Therefore, there is no money politics in this case, as money politics and political cost are distinct concepts,” Aswanto explained.

Incentives for Volunteers

This was further emphasized by Titi Anggraini, another expert presented by the Relevant Party. According to the board of patrons of Perludem (Association for Elections and Democracy), volunteers are a form citizen participation in supporting their chosen candidate. In practice, volunteers assist in safeguarding votes. Legally, volunteers are entitled to incentives as part of legitimate operational expenses, provided these reflect professionalism and are proportionate and reasonable recognition of the volunteers’ work.

“Incentives for volunteers are not a form of money politics. Article 73 paragraph (4) of the Regional Election Law stipulates that money politics refers to efforts to influence voters’ choices in the ballot. By contrast, incentives for volunteers are not tied to electoral acts by voters, except as required by the donators—that is, to cast votes as instructed,” Titi said.

Titi further explained that volunteer incentives do not meet that criterion, since volunteers are not passive voters but rather actors in vote protection and campaign efforts. The purpose of the incentive is to support these efforts, not to influence the votes of individuals, groups, or communities. Thus, Titi concluded, volunteer incentives are not money politics but rather legitimate operational expenses in vote protection and campaign efforts. 

Issues with Volunteer List

Meanwhile, witness for the Relevant Party, Rusiani, who served as campaign secretary for candidate pair number 1, revealed that of the 51 names mentioned by the Petitioners’ witness, 15 were duplicate entries. In addition, witness Rizal Fahlevi testified that on the afternoon of August 6, 2025, he was approached by two friends who offered him Rp1,000,000 on condition that he testify he had received money from candidate pair number 1.

“At the time, I needed money and they had it. I went to the post, gave a statement, and then received money from 01 after writing and signing a letter,” Rizal recounted.

Also read:

Jimmy-Inri Reveal Violations in North Barito Election Revote

North Barito KPU Denies Allegation of Vote Buying

At the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, September 2, Jimmy-Inri (Petitioners) through their legal counsel M. Imam Nasef petitioned for the annulment of the Decree of the North Barito Regency KPU No. 365 of 2025 on the certification of the results of the 2024 North Barito regent-vice-regent election in the revote following the Constitutional Court Decision on the dispute over election results No. 313/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, announced on August 9.

Based on the North Barito Regency KPU’s (Respondent) decree, candidate pair number 1 Shalahuddin–Felix Sonadie Y. Tingan (Relevant Party) obtained 40,400 votes, while the Petitioners obtained 36,989. The Petitioners alleged that the Relevant Party’s vote tally was achieved through structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) violations across nine districts in North Barito Regency. They also alleged that the Relevant Party had distributed money to voters under the guise of recruiting them as “volunteers,” who were then marked with serial-numbered volunteer cards. In addition, they accused the Relevant Party of distributing money using recipient lists and handing out cash to residents encountered on the spot.

Also read:

Court Orders Revote at Two Polling Stations in North Barito

Court Annuls North Barito Regent Election, Disqualifies Both Candidate Pairs

Also read:

Petition No. 331/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Response by North Barito KPU

Statement by North Barito Bawaslu

Statement by H. Shalahuddin-Felix Sonadie Y. Tingan (Relevant Party)

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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