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Ridwan Darmawan as attorney of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) conveying the petition in the 2019 DPR-DPRD legislative election results dispute (PHPU) of Manado IV electoral district, on Wednesday (10/7) in the Panel 3 Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Teguh.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Inflated votes became the main issue in the 2019 DPR-DPD-DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Representatives Council-Regional Legislative Council) legislative election results dispute (PHPU) hearing for North Sulawesi on Wednesday (10/7/2019). In the hearing presided over by Constitutional Justice I Dewa Gede Palguna, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) questioned this matter for North Sulawesi Province.

Ridwan Darmawan as attorney of PDIP questioned PDIP\'s vote acquisition of Manado City IV electoral district (dapil) for the seat of the Manado Municipality DPRD. Ridwan said that PDIP should get 9,036 votes and the Golongan Karya Party (Golkar) received 2,996 votes. "However, the Respondent (Manado Municipality KPU) actually determined the votes for the Golkar Party at 3,051 votes. They added 55 votes for the Golkar Party," he explained regarding case No. 81-03-25/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019.

Ridwan said the vote inflation had affected the allocation of seats for PDIP. PDIP should get the sevent seat of the Manado Municipality DPRD because with 9,036 votes the Petitioner had reached the threshold (3,012 votes) for the DPRD seat. The Golkar Party should not be entitled to a seat in DPRD.

Ridwan also mentioned the plenary recapitulation meeting in Tuminting Sub-district, which was not in accordance with the Regulation of the General Elections Commission (PKPU)  No. 4 of 2019. He argued that the ballot boxes were opened and taken out by one of the Sub-district Election Committee (PPK) members. The DAA1 forms were also full of scribbles and lack the signatures of the witnesses and the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu). Finally, the plenary recapitulation meeting in Tuminting Sub-district was not completed and was taken over by the Manado Municipality KPU.

"For these reasons, the Petitioner requested the annulment of the KPU Decree No. 987/PL.01.8-Kpt/06/KPU/V/2019 regarding the determination of the 2019 general elections result. In addition, we requested that Constitutional Court declare that the Petitioner received 9,036 votes and the Golkar party received 2,996 votes," he explained while reading the petitum.

Vote Reduction

In the same panel, the hearing also examined case No. 98-19-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Crescent Star Party (PBB). Meizaldi Mufti as the Petitioner’s attorney questioned the DPRD seats for Parigi Moutong Regency and North Morowali Regency. In Parigi Moutong I electoral district (dapil), he said, his party should get 3,292 votes, but the Respondent declared their vote acquisition at 1,963 votes. "Therefore, the Petitioner\'s votes were reduced by 1,329 votes," he said firmly.

Meanwhile, in Siniu Sub-district, Meizaldi illustrated that PBB’s votes were reduced by 106 votes. This also happened in Ampibabo Sub-district, where the Petitioner lost 380 votes. In addition, 390 votes had been purged in South Parigi Sub-district and 453 votes in Parigi Sub-district.

In North Morowali electoral district I, said Meizaldi, PBB should get 1,312 votes. However, the Respondent declared PBB’s acquisition at 1,228 votes. "The National Democratic Party (Nasdem) actually received an addition of 205 votes, totaling [their votes] to 3,911 votes according to the Respondent," he said.

Meizaldi said 12 votes were purged for PBB at TPS (polling station) 004 of Petasia Sub-district. Then, in several polling stations there were additional votes for the Nasdem Party at TPS 005 of Bungintimbe Village,  TPS 003 of Kolonade Village, and TPS 006 of Ganda-Ganda Village.

"For these reasons, we requested that the Constitutional Court declare 3,292 votes for PBB in Parigi Mountong electoral district 1 and in North Morowali electoral district 1 1,312 votes," he explained while reading the petitum.

The hearing was held specifically for cases from North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi. The other cases from North Sulawesi were case No. 121-12-25/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the National Mandate Party (PAN), No. 184-04-25/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for Jerry Sambuaga as individual, and No. 67-14-25/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Democratic Party. The cases for Central Sulawesi were cases No. 213-07-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Beringin Karya Party, No. 19-01-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for Syarif Hidayatullah as individual, No. 19-01-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the National Awakening Party (PKB), No. 32-13-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019  for  the People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), No. 86-03-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and No. 147-02-26/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Great Movement Party (Gerindra).

Justice Palguna informed that the next hearing would be held on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 to hear the Respondent’s response and the statements of the Relevant Party and Bawaslu. (Arif Satriantoro/LA/RD)

Translated by: FS/YW

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