2024 North Maluku gubernatorial election

2024 North Maluku gubernatorial election

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Candidate Husain Alting Syah Aliong Mus Muhammad Kasuba Party PDI-P Golkar PKS Running mate Asrul Rasyid Ichsan Sahril Thahir Basri Salama   Candidate Sherly Tjoanda Party Demokrat Running mate Sarbin Sehe

Governor before election Samsuddin Abdul Kadir (Acting) Independent Elected Governor TBD

The 2024 North Maluku gubernatorial election will be held on 27 November 2024 as part of nationwide local elections to elect the governor of North Maluku for a five-year term. The previous election was held in 2018.

Electoral system

The election, like other local elections in 2024, follow the first-past-the-post system where the candidate with the most votes wins the election, even if they do not win a majority. ^[1] It is possible for a candidate to run uncontested, in which case the candidate is still required to win a majority of votes "against" an "empty box" option. Should the candidate fail to do so, the election will be repeated on a later date. ^[2]

Candidates

According to electoral regulations, in order to qualify for the election, candidates are required to secure support from a political party or a coalition of parties controlling nine seats (20 percent of all seats) in the North Maluku Regional House of Representatives (DPRD). ^[3] As no parties won nine or more seats in the 2024 legislative election, parties are required to form coalitions in order to nominate a candidate. ^[4] Candidates may alternatively demonstrate support to run as an independent in form of photocopies of identity cards, but no independent candidates registered prior to the deadline set by the General Elections Commission (KPU). ^[5]

The previously elected governor, Abdul Ghani Kasuba, had served two terms and was therefore ineligible to run in the election. He was also arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission in December 2023. ^[6]

Potential

The following are individuals who have either been publicly mentioned as a potential candidate by a political party in the DPRD, publicly declared their candidacy with press coverage, or considered as a potential candidate by media outlets:

• Aliong Mus  [ id ] (Golkar), two-term regent of Taliabu Island. ^[7]
• Benny Laos, former regent of Morotai Island. ^[8] (Deceased)
• Ahmad Hidayat Mus  [ id ] (Golkar), former regent of Sula Islands. ^[9]
• Husain Syah, senator representing North Maluku and the titular Sultan of Tidore. ^[10]
• Taufik Madjid, secretary-general of the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration. ^[11]

Political map

Following the 2024 Indonesian legislative election,twelve political parties are represented in the North Maluku DPRD: ^[4]

Political parties		Seat count
	Party of Functional Groups (Golkar)	8 / 45
	Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)	5 / 45
	Nasdem Party	5 / 45
	Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)	5 / 45
	People's Conscience Party (Hanura)	5 / 45
	National Awakening Party (PKB)	4 / 45
	Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra)	4 / 45
	National Mandate Party (PAN)	3 / 45
	Democratic Party (Demokrat)	3 / 45
	Perindo Party	1 / 45
	Crescent Star Party (PBB)	1 / 45
	Garuda Party	1 / 45

Incidents

Death of a candidate

Six weeks before the election, ^[12] Benny Laos, former Regent of Morotai Island and candidate for Governor, died after a speedboat explosion while campaigning in Taliabu Island on 12 October 2024. ^[13] The explosion happened when Laos' speedboat Bela 72 was refueling in a regional port at Bobong, West Taliabu. As refueling commenced, a sudden explosion occured and the speedboat caught fire. ^[12] North Maluku Police clarifies that Benny Laos was among a group of victims caught in the blast and he was among the six victims who died in this incident. ^[14] Acting Governor of North Maluku Samsuddin Abdul Kadir and Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian gave their condolences. ^{[15] [16]} However, there were suspicion that Benny Laos' death is caused by sabotage ^[17] and social media users questioned whether Laos' death is caused by a genuine accident or an assassination attempt. ^[12]

With existing electoral law in place, the coalition that nominated Benny Laos are allowed to name a replacement candidate in seven days after his death. ^[18] The coalition that nominated Benny which includes NasDem, Demokrat, PPP, PKB, PAN, PSI, Gelora, and Labour nominated his widow, Sherly Tjoanda to stand as candidate for her deceased husband. ^[19] Her candidacy was confirmed by KPU on 24 October 2024. ^[20] She will went on to win the election by 50,73%. ^[21]

Hate speech allegations

Husain Syah of Tidore was reported to the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) for allegations of racism committed during the gubernatoral election debate held in Tidore. ^[22] Husain Syah spoke in Tidore "'ifa no cou lada, lada ngone mancia ua" which in Indonesian literally means "Don't choose the Dutch, white people because they are not our people". ^[22] PDI-P, the party that nominates the Sultan of Tidore, defended his speech by saying Husain Syah was quoting Nuku of Tidore and clarifies his speech as a warning to not compromise with outsiders and condemned anyone who is offended by the Sultan's words as outsiders while saying that they should broaden their point of view regarding to the quote. ^[23]

Aftermath

Sherly Tjoanda and Sarbin Sehe won the election by 50,73%. ^[21] Her victory was hailed as a historic win as she was the first Chinese Indonesian Protestant woman to be elected governor. ^{[24] [25]} She along with Hidayat Arsani, who won the 2024 Bangka Belitung Islands gubernatorial election, created another historic milestone as the first Chinese Indonesians who were directly elected as Governor after failed attempts to reach this milestone by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama who runs during 2007 at Bangka Belitung and again in 2017 at Jakarta. ^[26]

References

1. "Pilkada Hanya Satu Putaran". kedaikopi.co (in Indonesian). 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
2. Mardika, Nando Yussele (5 November 2020). "Jika Kotak Kosong Menang, Pilkada Akan Diulang?". hukumonline.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 April 2024.
3. "KPU Mulai Tetapkan Kursi DPRD, Parpol Sudah Bisa Berhitung Soal Pencalonan di Pilkada". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). 2 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
4. "Golkar raih delapan kursi di DPRD Maluku Utara pada Pemilu 2024". Antara News (in Indonesian). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
5. "KPU: Tidak ada peminat jalur perseorangan cagub-cawagub Maluku Utara". Antara News (in Indonesian). 13 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
6. "Abdul Ghani Kasuba, Gubernur Maluku Utara 2 Periode Terjaring OTT KPK". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 19 December 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
7. "Pilkada 2024, Aliong Mus Tunggu Rekomendasi Golkar Siap Bertarung di Pilgub Maluku Utara - Lensa Nusantara". lensanusantara.co.id (in Indonesian). 17 April 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
8. "Pilgub Maluku Utara, Benny Laos Sudah Mendaftar di 5 Partai Politik". nuansamalut.com (in Indonesian). 1 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
9. "DPP Golkar jagokan Ahmad Hidayat Mus di pilkada Malut 2024". Antara News (in Indonesian). 11 February 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
10. "Husain Alting, Calon Gubernur Maluku Utara Pertama Yang Mendaftar di PDIP". Indotimur (in Indonesian). 23 April 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
11. "Taufik Madjid Siap ke Pilgub Maluku Utara 2024: Asalkan Dapat Restu dan Dukungan Publik". Tribun Ternate (in Indonesian). 30 October 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
12. "Sherly Tjoanda, istri mendiang Benny Laos unggul dalam Pilgub Maluku Utara – Bagaimana teka-teki kematian calon gubernur Benny Laos?". BBC News Indonesia (in Indonesian). 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
13. "Cagub Malut Benny Laos meninggal dunia usai jalani perawatan medis". Antara News. 12 October 2024.
14. "JPNN". JPNN.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
15. Yahya, Wahyudi (12 October 2024). "Cagub Benny Laos Meninggal, Pj. Gubernur: Malut Berduka". Radio Republik Indonesia. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
16. Amalia, Rifka. "Tito Temui Istri Mendiang Benny Laos, Ungkap Kondisi Terkini". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
17. "Ada Dugaan Sabotase Kematian Benny Laos, Mongol Stres Minta Polisi Usut Tuntas Kebakaran Speedboat". www.tvonenews.com (in Indonesian). 2024-10-13. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
18. "Cagub Maluku Utara Dikabarkan Meninggal Dunia, KPU Jelaskan Aturan Calon Pengganti". Suara.com. 12 October 2024.
19. "Istri Benny Laos, Sherly Tjoanda Resmi Diusung Jadi Cagub Malut". CNN Indonesia . 17 October 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
20. Antara. "Resmi! KPU Tetapkan Sherly Tjoanda Istri Benny Laos Jadi Cagub Malut". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
21. "Sherly Tjoanda-Sabrin Dapatkan Lebih dari 50 Persen Suara, Diprediksi Menang di Pilgub Maluku Utara". merdeka.com. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
22. Lamaau, Nurkholis. "Cagub Malut Husain Sjah Dilaporkan ke Bawaslu soal Nuansa SARA Saat Debat". detiksulsel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
23. Lamaau, Nurkholis. "PDIP Malut Jelaskan Maksud Pernyataan Cagub Husain Sjah soal Tudingan SARA". detiksulsel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
24. "Sherly Tjoanda ukir sejarah jadi gubernur terpilih Tionghoa pertama Indonesia, menangi Pilkada Maluku Utara". CNA.id: Berita Indonesia, Asia dan Dunia. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
25. "Sherly Tjoanda Asal Mana? Gantikan Mendiang Suami, Meski Triple Minority Menang Telak Pilkada 2024". suara.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-12-03.
26. "Hidayat Arsani terpilih jadi gubernur Muslim Tionghoa pertama Indonesia, konglomerat Bangka Belitung yang dibuang ke tong sampah saat lahir". CNA.id: Berita Indonesia, Asia dan Dunia. Retrieved 2024-12-03.