New Chapter Of Orient P Riwu Case, Opposing Team Sued His Victory, Asking Pilkada Of Sabu Raijua To Be Held Again

The attorney for the candidates for Regent and Deputy Regent of Sabu Raijua, Takem Radja Pono-Herman Hegi Radja, Rudi Kabunang (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The legal team from one of the candidates for Regent and Deputy Regent of Sabu Raijua, Takem Radja Pono-Herman Hegi Radja, sued KPUD Sabu Raijua.

The lawsuit filed through the Kupang State Administrative Court (PTUN) regarding the appointment of the elected regent, Orient P Riwu Kore, which was confirmed by the United States Embassy (US Embassy) in Jakarta was a US citizen

"So the material for this lawsuit is related to the issue of regent and deputy regent election in Sabu Raijua," said the head of the Pono-Radja legal team, Rudi Kabunang, when met by media crews at the Kupang PTUN office, reported by Antara, Monday, February 8.

Pono-Radja is one of the candidates for regent and deputy regent who lost votes in the simultaneous regional elections in the southern regency of NTT.

In the case of the plenary determined by the KPUD Sabu Raijua, it shows that the pair only won 9,569 votes or 21.6 percent, then the second place Nick Rihi Heke-Yohanes Uly Kale won 13,292 or 30.1 percent of the votes, and the ones who won were Orient Riwu Kore and their representatives which won 21,359 votes or 48.3 percent.

In the lawsuit that was received by PTUN Kupang, they asked the panel of judges to decide that the appointment of the elected regent of Sabu Raijua by the KPUD of Sabu Raijua was declared null and void.

"In the lawsuit we also asked the panel of judges to order the KPUD Sabu Raijua to revoke the decision and to re-stipulate the Pilkada," he added.

Kabunang said they understand that there is limited authority from the PTUN, one of which is the authority to re-determine the regional election. But according to him, currently the Pilkada process has been completed, and the KPU and Bawaslu also do not have the authority to re-stipulate Pilkada.

Meanwhile, if the rule to the Constitutional Court is three days after the KPU is determined, the lawsuit must be sent to the Constitutional Court.

"We admit that the PTUN has limitations. But we are sure that the panel of judges will definitely find legal problems that have occurred, because indeed in the history of Indonesian politics this is the first time this has happened," he added.

According to him, the case that occurred in Sabu Raijua Regency was evidence of violations of democratic values in Indonesia, especially in that district, as well as the political rights of the people in Sabu Raijua Regency.

He also said that some of the evidence submitted to the PTUN was evidence of the KPU's determination to the elected regent and the second was a statement from the United States Embassy in Jakarta regarding Riwu Kore's citizenship status.