Hot and tough debate happened among the three parties involved, Herson Tanuab and Vivo Henu Ballo (Hallo candidate pair) as the Petitioner, The Election Commission (Kupang Election Commission) as the Petitionee, and the elected candidate in the Commission version, Ruben Funay and Dominggus Albert Fris Djubaida (Berita candidate pair), as a Related Party in the trial for Kupang Election dispute, in East Nusa Tenggara province, Friday (5/12), at the Constitutional Court Room. They all tried to convince the Justices about the truth they believed.

Hallo claimed that the Berita pair had distributed staple food to the people before the election. This argument was even proved by the existence of distribution coupons. However, the Berita denied the claim.

”We never made the coupons and the letter of acknowledgement. But we could not prove that because we did not have the need to prove it. Those (the coupons) were issued by other parties. We strongly refused to take the responsibility,” said the Legal Counsel of Berita Pair, Gustaf Jacob.

The denial was again responded by Hallo Pair. “Even if their principal felt that they never distributed the logistic, the coupon was possible to be made by their success team. The coupon evidence written “Posko Berita“ (Berita Center-ed.) has been a clear clue on that,“ explained Gabriel Suku Kotan acting as Legal Counsel for Hallo pair.

The debate was also going on among the witnesses in Fatu Leo, North West Amfoang, and North Amfoang Districts which according to the Election Commission had signed the transcript of proceeding for the Recapitulation Result. During the recapitulation process in the Election Commission, the Commission had announced the names of the witnesses who signed the transcript and there was no objection from Hallo pair regarding the names of the witnesses proposed. “The witnesses signing the transcript was the witnesses with a mandate from each candidate pair. Meanwhile, the witness presented by Hallo pair and we heard to previously, was not a witness but an observer witness. In the election, there is no such an observer witness. We only recognize witnesses and observers,“ explained the Head of Kupang Election Commission, Jhonny K Tiran.

Responding to Jhonny s information, Herson Tanuab denied that his party immediately signed the transcript. ”At the plenary session, we objected and we did not sign the transcript of proceeding. We wrote our objection in the objection coloumn and we also filed our written objection. Regarding the mandate, all of our witnesses and observers were provided with a letter of delegation,“ explained Kotan. 

The trial was ended with Justices call for all parties to attend the Decision Announcement trial on Wednesday (10/12). After the court session, all three parties who had a tough fight in the trial greeted each other and had a joyous session. Moreover, in their conversation, Hallo and Berita pairs threw their speculation on who would be elected as Kupang Regent and Vice. The talks were even ended with a joined photo session in the courtroom. “While we are still in Jakarta,“ said one of them humorously. (Kencana Suluh Hikmah)

Photo: Doc. MK PR/Kencana SH
Translated by Yogi Djatnika / MK