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The parties in case Number 68/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 examined the additional evidence submitted by Petitioner in the hearing for Regent Election Results Dispute of Karimun Regency on Tuesday (02/03) in the courtroom. Photo by PR/Teguh.

JAKARTA, PUBLIC RELATIONS—The significant rise of disable voters in the Regional Head Election for Regent and Vice Regent of Karimun became the issue discussed in the 3rd hearing for case Number 68/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 held on Tuesday (02/03) with the agenda of hearing the witnesses’ testimony and explanation from experts invited by Petitioner, Respondent, and Relevant Party as well as validation of evidence.

Candidate Number 2 Iskandarsyah and Anwar as Petitioner invited several witnesses explaining about the addition of disable voters. Mohammad Ginastra, a witness who acted as Coordinator of Witness and also a Witness for Regency Level Plenary Meeting, shared that his side expressed objection.

 “Based on the D-Special Incident form, there was an objection from our side due to the difference of voters data in Kundur District. There was a luck of 10 (ten) Final Voters List or DPT. Regarding ballots excess, he also expressed written objection but not responded by General Elections Commission (KPU),” he explained in front of the Justices Panel chaired by Justice Arief Hidayat accompanied by Justices Saldi Isra and Manahan MP Sitompul.

He also shared his objection about the significant rise of disable voters in all districts. He mentioned that there should be 20 disable voters, but after the voting in Kundur District. Then, have some additions, becoming 66 disable voters.

 “Then in West Kundur District from 7 became 9 people. Then in North Kundur District from 8 became 1 person. Buru District from 3 became 14 people. Durai District from 6 became 18 people,” he shared.

In regards to that testimony, KPU of Karimun Regency invited the head of polling station working committee (KPPS) in polling station (TPS) 07 of Sembesi Village, Kundur District named M. Sapri. He refuted that testimony concerning the additional voters that moved address, but admitted that there were additional disable voters. Justice Arief Hidayat questioned the voting place for disable voters. He shared that disable voters who could not come to TPS would be visited by KPPS members. The furthest distance between disable voter to TPS was 200 metres.

He also shared that those 7 (seven) people were included in DPT not as disable voters. “We assumed that those 7 (seven) people that we visited were included as disabled voters because they could not come to TPS.”

He shared that, there were 5 (five) officers consisted of 2 (two) KPPS members, 1 (one) TPS officer, 1 (one) witness, and 1 (one) linmas (community protection agency) officer visiting the voting place for disabled voters and that there was no objection from candidate pairs’ witnesses. “Witness for Candidate Pair Number 2 also signed and there was no objection,” he said.

Meanwhile, Justice Saldi Isra asked the explanation from Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) of Karimun Regency whether the process of visiting the disabled voters and taking their votes there was correct. Tiuridah Silitonga representing Bawaslu said that it was done correctly based on the procedure as it was accompanied by witness and supervisor. “From 18 reports filed to Bawaslu, there was no report about disabled voters in TPS,” Silitonga assured.

Money Politics Practice

Furthermore, Adea Fitri as the recipient of a housing grant attended as a witness for Petitioner. She mentioned that Candidate Pair Number 1 Aunur Rafiq and Anwar Hasyim (Relevant Party) promised to give a bicycle and install electricity in her house which was why she chose them. “When the house was inaugurated, Head of Baznas (National Charity/Zakat Body) stated in his speech not to forget to vote on 9 December 2020,” she said.

Silitonga from Bawaslu admitted that there was a report concerning the campaign done by Relevant Party. Based on the photo evidence that Reporter submitted, it was seen that Defendant was wearing a complete uniform of a regent.

 “However, there was no picture or number of Candidate Pair, there was no distribution of campaign materials, installment of APK (campaign props) to persuade voters, and in the event the Defendant did not express any campaign-related phrases or inviting the people there to vote for him, so the report was not classified a violation hence it could not be registered,” she said.

Service Improvement for Disabled Voters

In the hearing, Petitioner invited Bambang Eka Cahya Widodo (Government Studies Specialist from Muhammadiyah University Yogyakarta) explaining about the Article 11 Paragraph (6) Letter b of the Law Number 19 Year 2019. He said that it was very crucial for the election committee to improve the quality of service for disabled voters based on their neccessities in purpose of increasing the inclusivity in the election. The matter was the availability of disabled voters data in DPT so that the officers of KPU and KPPS could serve them well. The argument regarding the disabled voters in the voting process was a little bit off to say it was not suspicious.

“The matter lied upon the need to fulfill the special assistance for disabled voters because a thorough plan and preparation. In regards to the rise of disabled voters number in the voting process of course there should be a specific explanation from the committee as the rise of any data after DPT was certified should be done in accordance with the law to avoid any misuse of voters data for any kind of interest. Disabled voters also needed special assistance in which if it was not available a member of committee or officer should be appointed to assist,” he said.

Previously, Petitioner objected about the voting results due to several violations, such as manipulation of disabled voters data, misuse of money grant, as well as excess of ‘ghost’ ballots in TPS. Petitioner claimed that the number of disabled voters in DPT (20 people) of Kundur District was not in accordance with the number of disabled voters in the form of C Result Copy-KWK (50 people) provided by KPU of Karimun Regency through KPPS showing a significant rise and causing the Petitioner some loss. Therefore, Petitioner plead the Court to command KPU to hold an election redo in several districts: Kundur, West Kundur, North Kundur, Durai, Buru, and Karimun.

Writer : Melisa Fitria Dini

Editor : Lulu Anjarsari

Translator: WA (NL)

Managing Editor: BW

Translation uploaded on March 3, 2021 at 14.48 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

 

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