MK Asked To Disqualify North Halmahera Cabup For Immoral Videos

Abdullah Adam (center) as the attorney for the Candidates for Regent and Deputy Regent of North Halmahera Number Urut 3 Matheus Strefi Fasimanjeku and Abdul Aziz Hakim/screenshot

JAKARTA - The Constitutional Court was asked to disqualify the candidate pair for regent of North Halmahera with the most votes, Piet Hein Babua and Kasman Hi Ahmad, because Piet Hein Babua as regent candidate number 4 is suspected of having an immoral video scandal.

The request is a petitum for the Candidate Pair for Regent and Deputy Regent of North Halmahera Number 3 Matheus Strefi Fasimanjeku and Abdul Aziz Hakim in a regional election dispute lawsuit registered with Number 122/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

Matheus-Abdul's attorney, Abdullah Adam, in a preliminary hearing at panel 3 at the Constitutional Court Building I, Jakarta, Friday, said Piet Hein Babua was suspected of committing immoral acts online. The video of immoral acts, he said, has been known to the people of North Halmahera.

"It is already something that is known to the general public, especially the people of North Halmahera even in the North Maluku Province, that a video call sex and/or with the act of doing onani via online call sex video allegedly with one of the women, the perpetrator is suspected to be Piet Hein Babua," Abdullah said who was present online as reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 10.

The immoral video allegedly circulated long before Piet Hein Babua registered as a regent candidate to the North Halmahera Regency KPU. According to Abdullah, the local KPU should not have accepted Piet Hein Babua's registration because his actions were considered contrary to religious, social, or cultural principles and values.

"On suspicion of a disgraceful act allegedly committed by Piet Hein Babua, it is certainly very disturbing for the people of North Halmahera. This is because this action is contrary to the principles and values of religion, decency, local customary requirements of the Halmahera community who highly uphold these principles and values," he said.

Abdullah explained that the unrest of the people of North Halmahera had been channeled through several demonstrations. The public has also reported the case to the police and the legal team of one of the other pairs of candidates has reported to the North Halmahera Bawaslu.

"However, both reports were not followed up," he said.

Based on the argument, the Matheus-Abdul pair asked the Constitutional Court to cancel the decision of the North Halmahera Regency KPU Number 388 of 2024 concerning the Determination of the Results of the 2024 Regional Head Election for North Halmahera Regency on December 4, 2024, as well as disqualifying Piet Hein Babua and Kasman Hi Ahmad.

In addition, the Matheus-Abdul pair also asked the Constitutional Court to order the KPU to re-vote for the North Halmahera Pilkada, without including Piet Hein Babua and Kasman Hi Ahmad.

Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, as chairman of the panel 3 panel of judges, asked for evidence from the arguments presented. Abdullah Adam, as Matheus-Abdul's attorney, explained that his party had sent evidence to the Constitutional Court.

However, according to Arief, the MK's administration system has not yet received the evidence in question. Therefore, the Court has not been able to ratify the evidence submitted by the Matheus-Abdul team in the inaugural trial.

"So, while we can't confirm the evidence yet, yes. Later it will be added if there is evidence. Later it will be ratified during the next trial," said Arief.

The 2024 North Halmahera Pilkada was followed by four pairs of candidates, namely number 1 Muchlis Tapi-Toni Laos (24,802 votes), number 2 Steward L. L. Soenpiert-Maskur Abdullah Tomagola (22,684 votes), serial number 3 Matheus Strefi Fasimanjeku-Abdul Aziz Hakim (19,188 votes), and serial number 4 Piet Hein Babua-Kasman Hi. Ahmad (37,775 votes).

All pairs of candidates who were declared defeated in the 2024 North Halmahera Pilkada filed a lawsuit with the Court. Muchlis-Toni's lawsuit was registered with Number 93/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, Steward-Maskur's lawsuit Number 104/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, and Matheus-Abdul's lawsuit Number 122/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.