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The Petitioner’s attorneys at the preliminary hearing of a case petitioned by 6 political parties in West Java Province on Tuesday (9/7) in Panel 3 Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/ Teguh.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The 2019 House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Legislative Council(DPRD) election results dispute (the 2019 legislative PHPU) hearing held by the Constitutional Court (MK) commenced today, Tuesday (9/7/2019). One of the cases was petitioned by the United Development Party (PPP), who challenged the vote inflation in Bekasi Regency.

The hearing was presided over by Constitutional Justice I Dewa Gede Palguna with Constitutional Justices Suhartoyo and Wahiduddin Adams. The case concerns the seat of the Bekasi Regency DPRD. Hadrawi Ilham as attorney of United Development Party (PPP) challenged the case on behalf of Hj. Nunung for Dapil (electoral district) Bekasi Regency III. Vote inflation occurred in South Tambun Sub-district and benefited the Gerindra Party. "The total inflated votes reach 240 votes," he explained in case No. 102-10-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019.

Hadrawi Irwan illustrated a number of polling stations (TPS) where vote inflation had occurred, such as in TPS 54 where 35 votes were written as 34 votes, in TPS 67 53 votes were written as 52 votes. Without vote inflation, the eleventh DPRD seat would be obtained by PPP. "Due to this [vote inflation], Gerindra obtained two seats," he explained.

Hadrawi said his camp had reported it to the Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu). Bawaslu had subsequently ruled that the Respondent had been proven to have committed an administrative error.

"We request that the Constitutional Court declare the Petitioner\'s vote acquisition in Bekasi Regency be 12,084 votes and Gerindra’s 35,866 votes so that [the Petitioner] has the right to a seat in the DPRD in Bekasi Regency," he explained when reading the petitum.

Hadrawi also read out another in the same session. PPP also questioned the vote acquisition for the West Java Dapil for the DPR RI I (House of Representatives) seat, Dapil Bekasi Municipal II for a Municipal DPRD seat, and Dapil Sukabumi III for a Municipal DPRD seat.

Hadrawi claimed DPR RI seat on behalf of candidate Joko Purwanto, who had lost 12,020 votes. He obtained a total of 94,952 votes. Meanwhile, for Sukabumi Municipality, PPP should have obtained 2,766 votes, but only did 2,752 votes, according to the local Election Commission (KPU). In Kaliabang and Teluk Pucung Villages, Bekasi Municipality, the number of ballots exceeds the voter turnout. "We request that the Constitutional Court order a revote or at least a re-counting there," he explained in the petitum.

At the same hearing, in case No. 123-12-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 petitioned by the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Petitioner argued a reduction of the votes for PAN, resulting in DPR RI candidate from Dapil West Java VIII Andri W Kusuma not qualifying.

PAN should have obtained 120,190 votes but, according to the Respondent, only received 99,190 votes. On the other hand, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) received 372,952 votes, even though there should have only been 352,952 votes. The Democratic Party should have also obtained 114,520 votes, not 120,520 votes," said the Petitioner\'s attorney Martinus F. Hemo.

Martinus said that vote inflation had occurred in various places, harming the Petitioner. For example, in TPS (polling stations) 10 and 05 of Jatiseeng Kidul Village in Cirebon Regency, Gamel Village in Cirebon Regency, and Karangsari Village in Cirebon Regency. The vote inflation clearly harmed his camp.

At the hearing, the panel of justices also examined petitions No. 47-14-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Democratic Party, No. 221-07-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for Berkarya Party, No. 69-03-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), and No. 156-02-12/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Great Movement Party (Gerindra). (Arif Satriantoro/LA/RD)

Translated by: FS/YW

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