---

Beatrix Wanane, member of Papua General Elections Commission (KPU), turns down preceding statement delivered by Plaintiff\'s witnesses in which cited that on July 9, no presidential elections were happened to take place in several villages. "As committee, I did oversee and obtained data, it has been conducted," she retained.  

Prior to it, Novela Nawipa, a Plaintiff\'s witness admitted that there were no activities of elections seen to take place in her residence, Awabutu village, East Paniai District, Painai Region. "(How could I explain) about specific schedule, if the election did not exist," she said, on Tuesday (8/12).

Meanwhile, according to Beatrix, Novela\'s residence is situated in Painai Region and was registered as one out of 16 regions in Papua to which noken systems were applied. Beatrix also reportedly was informed that specified system of election process had been done in region located in mountains.     

Disqualified Votes in two Districts

Beatrix also explained that two Districts in Dogiyai Region, Papua were seen troubled in conducting elections. Thus, election results for two competing pairs in both districts were nixed. The two,  namely, Central Mapia and West Mapia. 

According to Beatrix, witnesses from both competing pairs sent protests in response to noken system applied in Central Mapia and West Mapia. Nevertheless, the objection was dismissed during the time.

"We urged Dogiyai KPU to take responsibility in handling the disputes in the forum to which was supervised by Bawaslu and Panwas," She said, on Wednesday (8/13).

She also said that KPU and Papua Bawaslu have coordinated in the higher circuit to be directed in handling the situation. Commissioner of Central KPU later instructed to wait Bawaslu\'s recommendation first. "After 30 minutes, Bawaslu said \'We will dis(qualify) these two\'. Hence, results from these two districts were nixed.

Beatrix added, witnesses from two competing pairs didn\'t file any protest. "Even the Plaintiff\'s witnesses cited "We appreciate Papuans’ effort to be involved (in the elections) and vote for us even just by a few, but we regard people\'s sovereignty\'," Beatrix said imitating the witness\' statement. 

Noken System

Meanwhile, KPU presents an expert, Hasjim Sangadji, whose expertise will be used to explain noken system. According to Hasjim, noken can be interpreted as bag of important files. "Noken Sytem has been there for decades in Papua, since 1971\'s election to be exact. However, there was no particular directions in using noken system," Hasjim explained. 

In a point of their arguments, the Plaintiffs are deliberating non-existence of elections in 12 Regions in Papua. In those regions, noken or tied system weren\'t held as they have usually been conducted. 

In their opinion, recent noken system were interfered by the committee. No Consultation in village or District were happened to be occurred, therefore the Defendant just violently gave all votes to pair candidate number 2.

In contrast, Hasjim says that noken system was done under locals’ initiative, those natives also provided the noken itself, while Province or Region KPU in every elections always provide ballot boxes.

Hasjim explains, there are some ways to choose in noken system. First, is to collect some local residents, then they ask ballots of particular voters, before accordingly save the ballots into the noken. Which candidate to be chosen must be deliberated first in residential consultation.

“Second, to vote by tied system. Votes in some villages will directly be given to particular candidate according to list of permanent voters. It was held in residence, not TPS,” he explained.  

However, he doesn’t refuse whether some problems may smear to the system’s practice. If the result wasn’t counted and not be inputted into official report, the votes might be diverted.  

It might happen, given that ballots in the noken haven’t been perforated yet. “Sometimes, those noken-s are directly delivered to PPS, due to the geographic reasons. Some of them, may be inputted directly into official report by KPPS, one district may be inputted in one go,” he explained. (Lulu Hanifah/mh/kun)

---