---

The Panel Chairperson Constitutional Justice Aswanto asking Central Mamberamo KPU member Nur Alam regarding vote inflation in the 2019 DPR-DPRD Election Results Dispute (PHPU) hearing of Papua Province on Tuesday (30/7) in the Courtroom Panel of the Constitutional Court. Photo by Humas MK/Ganie.

JAKARTA, Public Relations of the Constitutional Court—The Constitutional Court (MK) held a further hearing of the 2019 DPR-DPRD (House of Representatives-Regional Legislative Council) Election Results Dispute (PHPU) of Papua Province on Tuesday (30/7/2019) at 11.00 WIB. The Panel 2 was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Aswanto, with Constitutional Justices Saldi Isra and Manahan M. P. Sitompul.

The Democratic Party as the Petitioner in the case No. 68-14-33/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 presented Tius Ikwa as a witness. During the legislative election in Papua, Tius became a part of campaign team for Berius Kogoya, Democratic Party’s DPRD candidate in Central Mamberamo Regency.

Tius explained that the vote recapitulation process from the Polling Station Working Committee (KPPS) to the District Election Committee (PPD) of Kelila, Central Mamberamo, went well and smoothly. However, during the vote recapitulation at the district level, there was a change in votes, which resulted in the decrease of Berius’ votes.

“There has been ballot stuffing for another Democrat candidate, Hengky D. Yikwa. His votes increased to 1,311 votes while Berius\' votes decreased to 1,281 votes," Tius said.

The problem experienced by Berius was responded by the Central Mamberamo Regency KPU Chairman, Engel Pegawak. According to him, there was reduction in Berius\' votes and addition to Hengky\'s votes, because of an intervention from the Central Mamberamo Regent.

"That was true, there was an intervention by the Regent to switch Berius\' votes to another Democratic Party candidate," said Engel.

Then, Engel said that he and the Central Mamberamo KPU member Nur Alam had been called to the house of the Central Mamberamo Regent to declare that Berius Kogoya did not qualify as a member of the DPRD.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) as the Petitioner in case No. 203-11-33/PHPU.DPR-DPRD/XVII/2019 presented Mahyus as a witness in the South Yapen District, Yapen Islands Regency. Mahyus explained that all C1, DA1 forms and ballot boxes were hidden by the Supervisory Committee (Panwas) and South Yapen PPD Chairperson.

“In fact, there was a vote switch that was detrimental to the Indonesian Solidarity Party. [All] of their votes were purged,” said Mahyus.

However, South Yapen PPD Chairman, Otis Penggu, denied PSI\'s witness’ statement, which he considered fabricated and untrue. (Nano Tresna Arfana/NRA)

Translated by: MJK/YW

---