Masinton Responds to Impeachment Threat in Central Tapanuli

Central Tapanuli Regent Masinton Pasaribu has described an impeachment campaign against him as a political maneuver by groups that failed to win the 2024 local election.

Masinton said the groups had tried to promote a single candidate in the election but failed. The candidate they backed, he said, was defeated by voters in Central Tapanuli.

The PDIP politician also said the impeachment issue was not new. He claimed similar efforts had been mounted against three acting regents during the 2022-2024 period. Masinton accused a small group of politicizing flooding in Central Tapanuli, saying the council factions had never discussed regional regulations proposed by the administration to speed post-disaster development.

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They schemed to promote a single candidate in the 2024 local election, but failed. During the election, the candidate they backed was defeated by the people of Central Tapanuli.

Five factions in the Central Tapanuli Regional Council are backing the impeachment push: NasDem, Golkar, Gerindra, PAN and PKB. They say the local government is not functioning optimally and that public funds have been managed unprofessionally. Their spokesperson, Hazmi Arif Simatupang, said the factions had found indications of poor budget management.

The parties also criticized the handling of flooding in the region. They said the local government responded slowly and had not distributed aid to victims adequately. Hazmi said the factions were considering taking political action through the council, including seeking Masinton's impeachment.

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We are also discussing and considering taking political action through the Central Tapanuli Regional Council, up to and including the impeachment of Regent Masinton Pasaribu.