Statement by the Bangka Regency KPU (Respondent) in Case No. 333/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Election Results Dispute of the Regent of Bangka, Tuesday (9/23/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu

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JAKARTA, MKRI – Bangka Regency General Elections Commission (KPU) affirmed that it had conducted clarification with prospective regent candidate number 5, Rato Rusdiyanto, regarding the National Senior High School Equivalency Examination Certificate submitted as part of the candidacy requirements. This was conveyed as the Respondent’s statement by the Bangka Regency KPU, simultaneously refuting the arguments of candidate pair number 2, Naziarto–Usnen (Petitioners in Case No. 333/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025). The statement was delivered by Anom Surya Putra, legal counsel for the Respondent, at the second hearing on the Election Results Dispute of the Regent and Deputy Regent of Bangka (PHPU Bangka) on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 in the plenary courtroom. The hearing was presided over by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, alongside Constitutional Justices Anwar Usman and Enny Nurbaningsih, with the agenda of hearing the statements of the KPU (Respondent), the Related Party, and General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu).

Anom explained that Rato Rusdiyanto’s C-package diploma, candidate number 5, is legally valid as it was issued by Community Learning Center (PKBM) Bina Baru. He emphasized that the validity of a diploma is determined by the educational institution that issues it, not by administrative instruments such as the Basic Education Data System (Dapodik). According to him, allegations of document forgery fall under criminal law, not administrative election disputes.

Furthermore, Anom argued that the Petitioners’ request was vague (obscuur), as they referred to themselves as candidate pair number 4, whereas according to Bangka Regency KPU Decree No. 299 of 2025, Naziarto–Usnen were established as candidate pair number 2. This error, he said, created legal uncertainty regarding the Petitioners’ identity.

A similar statement was delivered by Jaka Zia Utama, legal counsel for candidate pair number 1, Fery Insani–Syahbudin, who also emphasized that the Petitioners’ claim was unclear. He noted that the issue of Rato’s diploma had already been reviewed and recommended by Bangka Regency Bawaslu, and subsequently followed up by the KPU through Decrees No. 298 and 299 of 2025, which confirmed Rato–Ramadian as candidate pair number 5.

Bawaslu’s Statement

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Bangka Regency Bawaslu, Fega Erora, stated that no reports or findings of electoral violations were discovered as alleged by the Petitioners. Based on their supervision, the vote recapitulation process was formally determined through KPU Decree No. 406 of 2025, even though objections were raised by witnesses from candidate pairs number 2 and 4.

Fega further explained that on August 4, 2025, the Bangka Regency Bawaslu had delivered a ruling essentially ordering the Respondent to re-examine the administrative requirements of candidate Rato Rusdiyanto, specifically regarding the validity of the C-Package diploma used. The Respondent was also instructed to clarify the authenticity of the diploma, referring to two official letters dated July 21, 2025 signed by Lisarmawan, Acting Head of the Kaur Regency Education and Culture Office. The Respondent was then required to follow up on the results of the administrative review and diploma clarification, provided their authenticity and validity were verified, in accordance with statutory regulations. All these obligations were to be completed within five days from the date the ruling was delivered.

“Bangka Regency Bawaslu also issued a ruling announced on August 4, 2025, which essentially ordered the Respondent to review the administrative requirements of candidate Rato Rusdiyanto for Regent of Bangka concerning the validity of the C-package diploma, and to conduct clarification of its authenticity and accuracy,” said Fega.

Read also: Naziarto–Usnen Question Validity of Rato Rusdiyanto–Ramadian’s Victory in Bangka Election

Previously, the Petitioners questioned the validity of Rato Rusdiyanto’s diploma and alleged a vote difference of 21,982 between themselves and the Related Party. The Petitioners accused the Bangka Regency KPU of errors in verifying candidacy documents and suspected a conspiracy with candidate pair number 5.

In their petition, Naziarto–Usnen requested the Constitutional Court to annul KPU Decree No. 406 of 2025 on the determination of the results of the Bangka regent election and to disqualify candidate pair number 5 from the race. The Petitioners also asked the Court to order the KPU to conduct a revote with only candidate pairs other than Rato–Ramadian participating.

Author : Utami Argawati
Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.
Public Relation : Tiara Agustina
Translator : Jessica Rivena Meilania/FS

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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