The General Elections Commission (KPU) represented by their legal counsel Pieter Ell when submitting a brief of opposition on the petition on the Dispute of the Result of Election (PHP) of Regent and Vice Regent of Yapen Islands, Tuesday (22/8) in the Plenary Hall of the Constitutional Court Building. Photo by PR/Ganie.

The Constitutional Court held a follow-up trial on the Dispute of the Result of Election (PHP) of Regent and Vice Regent of Yapen Islands, Tuesday (22/8) in the Plenary Hall of the Constitutional Court. As the Court listened to the Petitioners’ response and the statement of Relevant Parties, the KPU of Yapen Regency as Respondent denied the Petitioners’ argument in relation to mass mobilization, involvement of State Civil Apparatus (ASN), and money politics in the re-vote (PSU) in Yapen.

Pieter Ell as the Respondent\\'s attorney explained that the KPU of Yapen Regency denied the involvement of ASN argued by Candidate Pair Number 5 Benyamin Arisoy and Nathan Bonay. In addition, Pieter also denied the accusation of money politics and mass mobilization to choose a particular candidate pair. "There is no recommendation from the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) regarding the involvement of ASN, mass mobilization, and double voting," he said before the Panel of Justices led by Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo in response to petition Number 56/PHP.BUP-XV/2017.

In relation to petition No. 57/PHP.BUP-XV/2017 by Candidate Pair No. 4 of Simon Atururi and Isak Semuel Worabai, the KPU of Yapen Regency asked the Court not to grant the petition. According to the Respondent, the Petitioners do not have legal standing because they do not meet the requirement of vote margin. "The Petitioners only received 1,588 votes, while the Relevant Party was the winner with 27,391 votes. The margin was too wide," explained Heru Widodo as another attorney of the Respondent.

Tonny Tesar and Frans Sanadi, who are Candidate Pair Number 1 and the Relevant Party, expressed a similar sentiment. They denied all of the Petitioners’ argument. In relation to money politics, the Relevant Party represented by Andi M. Asrun, considered the argument is unclear because the Petitioners did not explain where the violation occurred . "The Petitioners’ argument is very general and unclear," Asrun said.

The Petitioners have challenged the Decision of the KPU of Yapen Islands Regency Number: 36/Kpts/KPUKab/030.434110/YEAR 2017 concerning the Declaration of the Recapitulation of Vote Count Result and the Result of Election of Regent and Vice Regent of Yapen Islands Year 2017 dated July 29, 2017.

In the principal point of their petition, Petitioners Number 56/PHP.BUP-XV/2017 considered that there were violations in the revote of Regent and Vice Regent of Yapen Islands Year 2017, including the involvement of State Civil Apparatus (ASN), money politics, double voting and underage voting, and mobilization of voters who were not listed in the final voters list (DPT). Meanwhile, Petitioners of Case 57/PHP.BUP-XV/2017 was concerned about the status of the status of Candidate Pair Number 5 as ASN who had not submitted a letter of resignation from his position.

(Lulu Anjarsari/lul/Yuniar Widiastuti)