Court officer taking additional evidence from attorney of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Anthoni Hatane in the 2019 DPR-DPRD Election Results Dispute (PHPU) of Maluku Province on Thursday (11/7) at the Panel Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—Some votes had been switched among political parties in the Electoral District (Dapil) of Maluku Province. This was conveyed in the 2019 DPR-DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Legislative Council) PHPU at the Constitutional Court (MK) on Thursday (11/07/2019). The panel was presided over by Justice Aswanto (Chairperson) with two panel members, Justices Saldi Isra and Manahan M. P. Sitompul. Justice Aswanto opened the hearing at 11.00 WIB.

The hearing agenda was preliminary examination. In petition No. 99-19-31/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) through attorney Anthoni Hatane questioned the vote recapitulation at the Leihitu Sub-District Election Committee (PPK), where some of the votes had been switched to the United Development Party (PPP).

”Besides that, there was ballot stuffing for the Perindo Party. This [suspicion of] violation is based on the data by PBB and it has been reported to Bawaslu [(Elections Supervisory Agency)], which is currently in the administrative examination [process]," Anthoni explained.

Meanwhile, the United Indonesia Party (Perindo) as Petitioner No. 136-09-31/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019, through attorney Yudhistira Ikhsan Permana, questioned the increase of the votes for the National Awakening Party (PKB) in the vote count in Dapil Maluku 6 for the election of Maluku Province DPRD. "PKB’s votes also increased in the vote recapitulation at the provincial level," Yudhistira said.

Then, in petition No. 155-02-31/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019, the Great Movement Party (Gerindra), stated that the Maluku Provincial DPRD candidate from Gerindra Party, Johan Johanis Lewerissa, questioned violation by another Gerindra candidate Robby Gaspersz in obtaining votes in the Election of the Maluku Provincial DPRD in Dapil Maluku 1 Ambon Municipality.

Meanwhile the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) in the petition No. 85-03-31/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 questioned the lack of ballot logistics im the election of Buru Regency DPRD members in Dapil Buru 1.

In addition, PDIP questioned voters who could not vote by using e-KTP and the absence of a Permanent List of DPR, DPD, DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Representatives Council-Regional Legislative Council) Candidates at polling stations (TPS). Meanwhile, in Dapil Buru 2, PDIP stated that the Buru Regent employed State Civil Apparatus (ASN) to win his brother-in-law who ran as a Golkar Party candidate. (Nano Tresna Arfana/NRA)

Translated by: MJK/YW