Ali Nurdin as attorney of the KPU delivering report on the results of re-voting (PSU) in the South Central Timor Regent and Vice Regent election results dispute case, Wednesday (7/11) in the Plenary Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

The hearing of the South Central Timor Regent and Vice Regent election results dispute was held once again by the Constitutional Court (MK), on Wednesday (7/11). The hearing of case No. 61/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 was held to hear the report of re-voting (PSU) conducted in 10 sub-districts.

The Constitutional Court through Decision No. 61/PHP.BUP-XVI/2018 read on September 26, 2018 had previouslyordered the South Central Timor District Election Commission (KPU) as Respondent to conduct a revote at 30 polling stations in 10 sub-districts: South Amanuban, South Amanatun, Batu Putih, North Mollo, West Mollo, Boking, Kualin, Fautmolo, Kie, and Polen.

"The recapitulation of revote at the South Central Timor District is considered read. The results at the district level, Candidate Pair Number 1 received 59 votes, Candidate Pair Number 2 2,998 votes, Candidate Pair Number 3 3,470 votes, Candidate Pair Number 4 59 votes. There are 6,586 valid votes, 67 invalid votes," Petitioners\' attorney Ali Nurdin explained.

Meanwhile, Novan Erwin Manafe as the attorney for the Candidate Pair Obed Naitboho-Alex Kase (Petitioners) said that the Relevant Party reported the Constitutional Court Justices on the grounds that they had decided the case by violating the law and reported the Constitutional Court Justices to the Judicial Commission. In addition, he added, the Petitioners as the Candidate Pair Number 2 were intercepted by Candidate Pair Number 3 and their campaign team to scare, intimidate, and obstruct people from voting for the Petitioners.

Novan said there was also black campaign attempt by continuous demonstrations in Kota Soe by the campaign team of the Candidate Pair Number 3 to encourage a negative opinion on the Petitioners as Candidate Pair Number 2.

"The efforts to influence voter\'s choice by the Golkar Party [who nominated] Candidate Pair Number 3 or the Relevant Party by spreading invitations to cheap markets and free treatment at the revote locations, Halme Village, North Maluku Sub-district and Falas Village, Kie Sub-district, as well as distributing direct aid in the form of basic commodities and drilling bore wells at the revote locations," he said in the session chaired by Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Anwar Usman.

Interviewed after the hearing, the Relevant Party clarified the allegation. The legal counsel Ali Antonius said that the allegation was untrue. He claimed he had just learned about it in the hearing.

Similarly, Egusen Piter Tahun as the Relevant Party strongly denied the allegation. "The allegation is not true. We are of the view that the Constitutional Court\'s decision is final and binding," he affirmed.

The South Central Timor Regent and Vice Regent Candidates Obed Naitboho-Alex Kase had previously filed the regional election dispute in the Constitutional Court. They questioned the results of the South Central Timor Regent and Vice Regent election on June 27, 2018. (Arif Satriantoro/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)