Petitioner Jukan (right) with attorney Ruslan (left) after the preliminary hearing of the 2019 DPR-DRPD Election Results Dispute (PHPU) in Dapil Bengkulu Province on Friday (12/7) at the Panel Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Many voters were not listed in the final voters list (DPT) but they still voted. Conversely, many voters were registered in the DPT, but could not vote at polling stations (TPS). This issue was conveyed in the preliminary hearing of the 2019 DPR-DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Legislative Council) election results dispute (PHPU) in the electoral district (Dapil) of Bengkulu Province at the Constitutional Court on Friday afternoon (12/07/2019).

Legislative candidate of South Bengkulu Regency for the electoral district (Dapil) of South Bengkulu 3 from the National Awakening Party (PKB) Jukan through attorney Ruslan Mojoarjo revealed that there had been violations at TPS 2 in Tanjung Agung Village, Seginim Sub-District, South Bengkulu Regency.

“The violation is that voters who were not registered in the DPT cast their votes without showing a letter of voting location change. Upon the incident, the Petitioner\'s witness had expressed an objection, but did not get any response from Bawaslu [(Elections Supervisory Agency)] or the KPU [(General Elections Commission)]," explained Ruslan on petition No. 28-01-08/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 by the PKB. However, in the hearing, Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra warned the Petitioner that the case had not received a recommendation from the central executive board (DPP) of PKB.

Meanwhile, in the case Number 181-04-08/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019, the Party of Functional Groups (Golkar) as the Petitioner questioned the ballot papers that were not counted by the KPU. That resulted in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) receiving more votes than the Golkar Party. The incident occurred in the election of DPRD Members in Dapil Bengkulu 2. "The violation has been reported by Golkar along with a number of other political parties to the Bawaslu," explained Irwansyah, attorney of the Golkar Party.

Next, attorney of the United Development Party (PPP) Erfandi in the petition No. 107-10-08/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 submitted by PPP revealed that there some voters in Bandar Ratu Village, Koto Jaya Village, Pasar Gedang Village, and Ujung Padang Village in Mukomuko Regency could not use their right to vote.

The voters could not vote even though they were registered in the DPT and have e-IDs. The reason for not being able to vote is that the ballot papers ran out," Erfandi said.

In response to the incident, PPP with PKS (the Prosperous Justice Party), PKPI (the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party), and the NasDem Party reported the violations to the Mukomuko Regency Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), including reporting to the Central Bawaslu. Until now, their reports are being examined. (Nano Tresna Arfana/NRA)

Translated by: MJK/YW