Baharudin Farawowan, the Petitioner’s counsel, conveying the petition at a hearing for the Boven Digoel Regency revote results dispute, Friday (13/8/2021). Photo by Humas MK/Ifa.

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Friday, August 13, 2021 | 20:45 WIB

JAKARTA, Public Relations—After the revote and revote counting of the Boven Digoel Regency election by the regency’s General Elections Commission (KPU), Candidate Pair No. 3 Martinus Wagi-Isak Bangri challenged its results to the Constitutional Court (MK). At a virtual hearing for the case No. 147/PHP.BUP-XIX/2021 on Friday, August 13, 2021, the Petitioners through counsel Baharudin Farawowan expressed their objection to the results of the 2020 Boven Digoel Regency revote, which had been certified by the Boven Digoel Regency KPU (Respondent).

The Petitioners believe the Respondent’s certification of Candidate Pair No. 1 Hengky Yaluwo-Lexi Romel Wagiu to be illegitimate as the Respondent had not coordinated, executed, and controlled the stages of the regency’s revote, especially Jair District, as per statutory laws and regulations.

“Structured, systematic, and massive manipulation and violations by the Respondent in the process of the 2020 Boven Digoel regent-vice regent election [continued] until the revote (PSU) after the Constitutional Court ruling,” Farawowan said before the justices led by Chief Justice Anwar Usman.

He explained that the vote margin between the Petitioners and the winning candidate pair remained because the Petitioners’ letter No. 55/PNSBVD/XI/2020 sent to the regency’s Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) on November 12, 2020, which was received by Bawaslu’s staff, was ignored. In the letter the Petitioners requested that the final voters list (DPT) be reviewed because some of the voters’ polling stations (TPS) did not correspond to their domiciles, voters in the temporary voters list (DPS) were not listed in the DPT, and voters within one household had voted in different locations.

Farawowan alleged that the number of final voters in Jair District per October 16, 2020 was the highest in the regency, at 11,993 out of the total 36,882. “On revoting day on July 17, 2021 only 2,538 used their voting right, while those who abstained were 9,455 people. The DPT was announced by the [polling station working committee (KPPS)] at the TPSs on revoting day where there was a change of domicile [on a number of voters], causing voters to have difficulty finding [their designated] TPSs. Some KPPS members couldn’t even vote because their [designated] TPSs were not ones they were assigned to work at,” he explained.

Farawowan added that the most of the C Announcement forms in Jair District were not distributed, causing voters unable to use their right to vote, hence leading to low turnout. He alleged that the Respondent had violated the citizens’ constitutional rights, which are guaranteed by Law No. 10 of 2016—citizens listed in the DPT have the right to a voters’ announcement by the polling committee (PPS). He said the DPT must be determined no later than 30 days before voting day.

In their petitum, the Petitioners requested that the Court annul the Papua Provincial KPU letter on the recapitulation of the vote counting results in the revote after the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the 2021 Boven Digoel Regency election dated July 24, 2021. They also requested that the Court order the Papua Provincial KPU and/or the Boven Digoel Regency KPU to execute another revote at all TPSs in Jair District.

Also read: Have Not Completed 5 Years Waiting Period, The Court Disqualifies Yusak Yaluwo from Boven Digoel Regent Election

The Court has ruled in a previous case to disqualify Candidate Pair No. 4 Yusak Yaluwo-Yakob Weremba, who were certified by the Boven Digoel Regency KPU Decrees No. 19/PL.023-Kpt/9116/KPU-Kab/IX/2021 on the certification of the candidate pairs in the 2020 Boven Digoel Regency Election and No. 34/PL.023-Kpt/9116/KPUKab/IX/2021 on the certification of Candidate Pair Yusak Yaluwo-Yakob Weremba as contesting candidates in the 2020 Boven Digoel Regency Election dated December 11, 2020. They also requested that the Court order another revote without Candidate Pair Yusak Yaluwo-Yakob Weremba no later than 90 workdays after the decision is pronounced.

Writer        : Utami Argawati
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR            : Tiara Agustina
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 8/14/2021 18:29 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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