2 Riau Islands DPRD Candidates From Golkar And NasDem Removed From DCT In The Aftermath Of Being Involved In Corruption

Illustration of the General Election Commission (KPU). (Between)

KEPRI - The General Election Commission (KPU) has crossed out two legislative candidates (caleg) of the Riau Islands Provincial DPRD (Kepri) from the list of permanent candidates (DCT) for the 2024 General Election.

Both are on behalf of Hadi Chandra from the Golkar Party and Ilyas Sabli from NasDem. Both were dropped after being found guilty in a corruption case in providing allowances for the official residence of the leadership and members of the Natuna Regency DPRD for the 2011-2015 period.

"As of today, the two legislative candidates have been officially dropped from the nomination information system (Silon). Thus, the number of candidates for the Riau Islands DPRD has decreased from 602 people to 600 people," said KPU Kepri member Ferry Muliadi Manalu in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Wednesday, December 27, confiscated by Antara.

Ferry said the deletion of the two legislative candidates was carried out based on a plenary meeting at the Riau Islands KPU level, Tuesday, December 26.

The meeting was after receiving a copy of the decision from the Supreme Court through the Tanjungpinang District Court (PN) which stated that the two candidates concerned were guilty at the cassation level in the corruption case.

"We received the verdict on December 19, 2023, and then continued with a plenary meeting," said Ferry.

Even though they have been dropped from DCT, the names of the two legislative candidates are still listed on the 2024 election ballot paper, because the ballot logistics has been printed and distributed to local districts/cities.

The Riau Islands KPU will convey to the Voting Organizing Group (KPPS) in two electoral districts (Dapil) Riau Islands VII, namely Natuna and Anambas, to announce on the day of voting at the polling station on February 14, 2024, that the two names no longer meet the requirements (TMS) or are dropped from DCT due to involvement in corruption.

"We return it to the community, whether they still vote on the two legislative candidates or not. If they are still voting, the vote remains valid, but belongs to the political party, not personally concerned," he said.

Ferry added that out of a total of 600 Riau Islands DPRD candidates in the 2024 General Election, they will compete for 45 seats from seven electoral districts spread across seven local districts/cities, including Batam, Tanjungpinang, Bintan, Karimun, Lingga, Natuna, and Anambas.