Petitioner\'s witness Hamka Manui giving statement in further hearing of the 2019 DPR-DPRD PHPU of North Maluku Province on Wednesday (24/7) in the Panel 3 Courtroom of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Teguh.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court (MK) held the 2019 DPR-DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Legislative Council) legislative election results dispute (PHPU) hearing of West Java Province on Wednesday (24/7/2019). The hearing, presided over by Constitutional Justice I Dewa Gede Palguna with Constitutional Justices Suhartoyo and Wahiduddin Adams, heard the statements of the experts and witnesses for the Petitioners, Respondent, and Relevant Parties.

Previously, the National Awakening Party (PKB) in Case No. 18-01-32/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 questioned the votes in electoral district (Dapil) of South Halmahera IV for DPRD seat in North Maluku Province. The Petitioner argued that the Petitioner\'s votes were reduced and switched to other parties.

The Petitioner\'s witness Hamka Manui said that some voters were listed as deceased but participated in voting. This violation occurred in East Obi Sub-district, South Halmahera. “So, all ballots were used. Even though 5 people were deceased," explained Hamka, who as a Sub-district Election Committee’s (PPK) witness in East Obi Sub-district. His camp reported it to the local Pa Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), but there was no real response.

The Petitioner’s other witness Amri Samburi questioned 8 “siluman” (anomalous) polling stations (TPS) in Obi Induk Sub-district. Initially, there were only 6 polling stations. After the addition, his party protested during recapitulation in PPK. The 8 additional polling stations should not be included in the vote recapitulation.

Responding to this statement, the KPU\'s witness Darmin Haji Hasyim stated there was no \'\'siluman" (anomalous) polling station. The eight polling stations were for the additional voter list (DPTB) and around 2,000 company employees in the Obi Induk Sub-district who used those polling stations.

"We had carried out socialization since March. All parties also knew it," said Darmin. It was impossible for his camp to act unilaterally to make their own polling stations. The Central KPU (General Elections Commission) was aware of the 8 polling stations, he said.

Darmin rejected the allegation by the Petitioner\'s witness Hamka Manui because as South Halmahera Regency KPU Commissioner immediately supervised it and there were no problems as alleged by the Petitioner. "We checked the C1 forms and we recalculated it. Indeed there was no problem," he explained.

At the hearing, the panel of justices also heard cases No. 02-32/PHPU-DPD/XVII/2019 for DPD candidate Ikbal Djabid, No. 142-20-32/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI), and No. 201-05-32/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 for the National Democratic Party (Nasdem).

Translated by: FS/YW