Kupang –
The Constitutional Court (MK) received a lawsuit for the Belu Regional Head Election Dispute (Pilkada), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). This lawsuit was filed by candidate pair (Paslon) serial number 2, Agustinus Taolin and Yulianus Tai Bere, with candidate pair number 1, Willybrodus Lay and Vicente Horni Gonsalves, as Respondent.
“The Belu Pilkada dispute was received by the Constitutional Court after today the Dismissal session was held,” said Augustine Taolin and Yulianus Tai Bere, Bernard Sakarias Anin, Wednesday (5/2/2025) night.
In the Dismissal session, the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Suhartoyo, stated that the Belu Pilkada dispute was accepted and would be continued to the evidence stage. The next trial is scheduled to take place on 7-17 February 2025.
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Each party, both the Petitioner, Respondent, and related parties, were given the opportunity to present a maximum of four witnesses to strengthen their arguments.
“In essence, in the dismissal session it was explained that our request had something to strengthen and important so that it was a reason to override Article 158 of Law Number 8 of 2015 concerning Pilkada and Threshold,” Bernard explained.
This lawsuit focuses on the alleged unfavorable of the elected Deputy Regent of Belu, Vicente Hornai Gonsalves, related to his status as a former inmate in the case of Article 332 of the Criminal Code related to allegedly escaping minors in 2003.
“Actually it has been proven from the beginning that the reason our request was very strong to put aside the threshold. But we still study the case file and strengthen the next proof in the form of letters,” concluded Bernard.
NTT Bawaslu member Yuanita Wake said that the panel of judges decided to continue the Belu regional election dispute to the proof agenda.
“Case number 100 PHP Kada Belu in 2024 will be included in the advanced proof agenda scheduled between 7-17 February 2025,” he concluded.
Belu Regency Bawaslu as a provider of information in this case is ready to follow the decision of the Panel of Judges of the Constitutional Court.
“Bawaslu Belu as a provider of information on the results of supervision is ready to attend the hearing, including responsible for the evidence of information that has been submitted,” he added.
Thus, the inauguration of the Belu Regency Regional Head cannot be ascertained.
“Still proceeding to proof until the final decision, so there cannot be a plenary to determine the regional head,” he said.
Yuanita added that his party was still waiting for a trial for four other districts.
“Still waiting for West Manggarai, West Sumba, South Central Timor (TTS), and East Flores. All are included in the last session tonight,” he concluded.
The lawsuit for the Southwest Sumba Pilkada was rejected by the MK
Meanwhile, in the PHPU session of Southwest Sumba Regency (SBD), the Court of MK judges rejected the lawsuit of the candidate pair of regents and deputy regents of SBD in 2024, Fransiskus Marthin Adilalo-Yeremia Tanggu, against the Queen of Ngadu Bonnu Wulla-Dominikus AR Kaka as the Respondent.
NTT Bawaslu member Yuanita Wake confirmed that the six PHPU cases from NTT had been tried, but only two had been decided by the Court Judges.
“Today’s dispute is six cases that are tried, but only two, each for Belu Regency and SBD Regency,” Yuanita said by telephone, Wednesday (5/2/2025).
“The NTT regional election dispute, Queen Wulla-Dominikus Kaka’s lawsuit was rejected by the judge. While the Dismissal Decision for Belu was accepted and will be included in the proof,” Yuanita explained.
With this decision, the candidate pair of Ratu Wulla-Dominikus Kaka will be determined by the SBD Regency KPU on Thursday (6/2/2025) as the elected Regent and Deputy Regent for 2025-2030.
MK Rejects the East Flores Pilkada Lawsuit
The Constitutional Court (MK) also rejected the claim of the candidate pair number 1, Lukman Riberu-Zakarias Paun, in the Dispute of the Regional Head Election (Pilkada) of East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The verdict was read out in the pronunciation of the decision of the dispute of the 2024 general election on Wednesday (5/2/2025) night.
Amar Case Decision Number 211/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was conveyed by the Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, Suhartoyo.
“In the principal of the application stating the Petitioner’s request cannot be accepted,” Suhartoyo said in a hearing that was broadcast live through the MK Youtube.
Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat added that in the vote recapitulation, starting from the level of voting (TPS) to the district, there were no objections from witnesses of the candidate pair or special events.
“So that there is no evidence that can convince the Court regarding the issue of the low participation of voters argued by the applicant has implications for the vote acquisition of the Petitioner. Thus, the argument of the APP
Arief also explained that based on all existing legal considerations, the Petitioner’s application did not meet the provisions of Article 158 paragraph (2) letter b of Law Number 10 of 2016 related to the legal position.
Meanwhile, the Head of the East Flores KPU Technical Division, Arifin Atangae, stated that the KPU will hold an open plenary meeting on Thursday (6/2/2025).
“Tomorrow at 19.00 WITA will be held open plenary to determine the candidates for regents and deputy regents of East Flores Regency elected results of the 2024 elections,” he said.
(DPW/DPW)
