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South Sumatera Provincial Elections Commission (KPU) Chairman Aspahani giving the Respondent\'s response in the 2018 South Sumatera gubernatorial election results dispute petition on Tuesday (31/7) in the Panel Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Gani.

South Sumatera Provincial Elections Commission (KPU) Chairman Aspahani explained that the 2018 regional election was conducted simultaneously including in Palembang City and Muara Enim Regency, so it was not possible to issue two appointment letters of the polling committee (PPS) and sub-district election committee (PPK) due to financial accountability.

This was conveyed by Aspahani when giving the Respondent\'s response in the 2018 South Sumatera gubernatorial election results dispute hearing for case No. 34/PHP.GUB-XVI/2018 that took place on Tuesday (31/7/2018).

The Respondent\'s attorney Husni Chandra stressed that there were appointment letters of PPS and PPK in Palembang City and Muara Enim Regency, which he claimed had shown the elections organizer\'s commitment. This statement was corroborated by the Relevant Party\'s (Candidate Pair Number 1 Herman Deru-Mawardi Yahya) attorney Dhabi K. Gumayra. The letter had been issued since the PPS and PPK were formed. "Therefore the Petitioner\'s argument about PPS and PPK without appointment letters is groundless," said Dhabi accompanied by the legal team of the Relevant Party. The Respondent also denied the Petitioner\'s (Candidate Pair Number 4 Dodi Reza Alex Noerdin-M. Giri Ramanda Kiemas) allegation

"There was no recommendation from the South Sumatra Bawaslu that the violation of the [structured, systematic, and massive (TSM)] was a legal violation, but an administrative violation and did not interfere with the implementation of the South Sumatra gubernatorial election," said Husni Chandra. 

The Respondent also questioned the Petitioner\'s allegation of double final voters lists (DPT), which was not explained clearly. "In our opinion, the Petitioner\'s argument about double DPTs is only an assumption. So, the Petitioner\'s petition is unclear and vague," Husni said to the plenary justices led by Deputy Chief Constitutional Justice Aswanto.

The Relevant Party also denied the Petitioner\'s allegation of structured, systematic, and massive violations regarding double DPTs leading to vote inflation. They claimed that the Petitioner had misinterpreted the definition of structured, systematic, and massive. They denied the allegation on the basis that they are not well-know figures in South Sumatera, in contrast to the Petitioner whose father is a former governor of South Sumatera. The Relevant Party also alleged that the Petitioner had conducted covert campaign during the socialization of the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

Bawaslu\' s Denial

In the same hearing, Papua Province Bawaslu Chairman Niko Tunjanan offered a clarification of the allegation of structured, systematic, and massive violation, violence, and intimidation by Candidate Pair Number 1 and their campaign team in collaboration with state civil apparatus (ASN) and security officials.

"According to supervision, Panwas has not received reports of interventions related to the involvement of Candidate Pair Number 1 in collaboration with ASN and the security forces. The noken system was used, according to our supervision. A total of 16 districts used the noken system," Niko explained. 

Papua Provincial KPU through attorney Pieter El explained that they had carried out the stages of the Papua gubernatorial election well and did not find any violations during the election. 

Panel 2 justices also head the response of the Respondent and the Relevant Party in the 2018 Bogor Regency election results dispute hearing. They categorically denied all allegations by the Petitioner. (Nano Tresna Arfana/LA)

Translated by: Yuniar Widiastuti

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