The Respondent’s legal counsel, Hifdzil Alim at a hearing for the 2024 Legislative election result dispute of Simpang Kopi on Monday (13/5/2024). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The General Elections Commission (KPU) as the Respondent said that there were no torn ballots in the folds at polling station (TPS) 006 Simpang Kopi Village. This was conveyed by legal counsel Hifdzil Alim in the follow-up hearing of the Legislative Election Results Dispute (PHPU) with Case No. 190-01-13-02/PHPU.DPR-DPRD-XXII/2024. This second hearing was presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah, on Monday, May 13, 2024. 

Hifdzil stated regarding the Petitioner's argument related to the loss of votes because the KPPS had canceled the Petitioner's vote which contained a tear in the fold of the ballot which occurred at TPS 2, TPS 3, TPS 5 and TPS 6 of Simpang Kopi Village.

"The KPPS (polling station working committee) have told the voters to check the ballot papers received. If the ballot received by the voter is damaged, the ballot must be returned to the KPPS to be replaced. The Petitioner's claim regarding the existence of 9 (nine) ballots that were canceled due to tears in the folds, is untrue and baseless because there were no torn ballots in the folds at TPS 006 Simpang Kopi Village," he explained.

The Respondent explained that all of the Petitioner's arguments regarding the Petitioner's vote being canceled by the KPPS because there were tears in the folds of the ballot papers were not true and had no basis in law.

"The invalidation of the ballots was due to several things, namely that the ballots were cast more than once in different party columns. This is found at TPS 2, TPS 3 TPS 5 and TPS 6 Simpang Kopi Village," he continued.

Meanwhile, the Great Movement Party (Gerindra) as the Relevant Party represented by legal counsel Nopiyansah denied the Petitioner's arguments in the posita because it did not explain the difference in vote acquisition argued by the Petitioner, if it was reduced where it was transferred or if there was an increase in the votes of the participating parties, where it came from.

"Thus, the arguments of the Petitioner are made up and it is appropriate for the Constitutional Court to reject and set aside the arguments of the Petitioner's petition," he said.

In addition, the Respondent's action of stating that the Petitioner's vote was invalid because there was a tear in the fold of the ballot paper was in accordance with the legislation. So, it is appropriate for the Court to reject or at least set aside the Petitioner's arguments.

On the same occasion, Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body), represented by Payung Harahap, emphasized that it had followed up on nine reports of election allegations. "There was no follow-up on alleged election violations originating from the findings as argued by the Petitioner," explained Payung.

Also read: Ballots Damaged, PBB Asks for Revote in Batubara 6
 

Based on the records of the Batubara Regency Bawaslu at the recapitulation at the Batubara Regency KPU level, there were records of special events that were not related to the arguments of the petition of the Petitioner in the the Crescent Star Party (PBB) related to the dispute over the results of the vote count of 52 votes in the special note form and or witness objections.

Previously, PBB filed an application for Disputing the Results of the 2024 Legislative PHPU questioning the reduction of the Petitioner's votes in Simpang Kopi Village, Sei Suka Sub-district, Batubara Regency.

The Petitioner argues that the reduction of the Petitioner's votes in Kuala Tanjung Village, Sei Suka Sub-district, Batubara Regency, among others, occurred at TPS 01 by 1 vote, TPS 02 by 2 votes, TPS 03 by 2 votes, TPS 09 by 6 votes, TPS 21 by I vote. The reduction in the Petitioner's votes was due to the Respondent's error ic KPPS Officers in counting the votes which canceled the Petitioner's votes because there were tears in the folds of the ballot papers.

Author: Utami Argawati
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR: Andhini S.F.

Translator: Putri Ratnasari

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

 

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