Sidoarjo. Ahmad Muhdlor Ali is set to continue serving as the regent of Sidoarjo despite being dismissed by the National Awakening Party (PKB) for backing Prabowo Subianto in the upcoming presidential election, a local election official said on Saturday.

PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar is running as a vice-presidential candidate alongside presidential candidate Anies Baswedan, instructing all party members to support their joint candidacy. Muhdlor's party membership was terminated after openly expressing support for the rival candidate during a recent event.

However, the decision made by PKB does not impact Muhdlor's position as an elected leader, according to M Iskak, Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU)’s Sidoarjo office.

"The post-election governance system is no longer within the domain of political parties,” Iskak said.

The term of an elected regent concludes only in the event of death, criminal conviction, or permanent incapacitation, Iskak explained. Furthermore, there is no regulation permitting any political party to compel an elected regent to resign.

Muhdlor was nominated by PKB during the Sidorajo regent election in 2020.