Bawaslu Investigate 3 Village Heads Allegedly Operators Of Attacks By Fajar PSU, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi

Chairman of the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) of Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi (Sulteng) Ridwan said reports of alleged political money practices of three village heads (kades) of Toili District in Banggai had been processed by his party. Currently, reports in handling the Integrated Law Enforcement Center (Gakkumdu).

"Now we have carried out the initial study. For now, the Gakkumdu Center will conduct the first discussion," Ridwan said in an official statement recently.

The three village heads in Toili District, Banggai, reportedly received large amounts of money from candidate pair number 3, Sulianti Murad and Syamsul Bahri Mang, through one of their legal team members ahead of the re-voting (PSU) of Banggai Regency on April 5, 2025.

The three Head of Sari Central Village with the initials S, the Head of Mansahang Village with the initials R and the Head of Jaya Kencana with the initials HM, each allegedly received IDR 500 million in cash, which was handed over by members of the Legal Team of the Candidate Pair Number 3. The handover of the money is suspected to be part of a money political scheme aimed at conditioning support for the PSU.

In addition to receiving the money, the reports of the three village heads are suspected of also submitting a list of voters in their village, which is suspected to be used to direct residents' choices.

The alleged involvement of village officials in the practice of money politics has raised public concerns and is considered to tarnish the ongoing democratic process. Many parties have called for Bawaslu and Gakkumdu to enforce the law fairly, quickly, and transparently to maintain the integrity of the Banggai Regency PSU.

Bawaslu conveyed that the people of Banggai Regency have the right to a clean, fair and free election from the political intervention of money. The actions taken by certain individuals not only injure democratic values, but also threaten the future of a legitimate government with integrity.

Ridwan emphasized that the Banggai Regency Bawaslu was trying to trace and collect evidence, including the money allegedly given to the three village heads.

"We will try to find BB (evidence)," said Ridwan.