Bawaslu representative Amin Abdullah attending an evidentiary hearing for the 2024 Gorontalo legislative election results dispute, Monday (5/27/2024) on panel 2. Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The General Elections Commission (KPU) adheres to the principles of accuracy, caution, and avoid any abuse of authority in performing its duties. Therefore, the recommendation made by the Gorontalo Provincial Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) for a revote at Biluhu Timur and Tuladenggi polling stations was not implemented. After examining Bawaslu’s evidence and the materials, the KPU determined it did not align with Article 372 paragraph (2) of Law No. 7 of 2017 on Elections, making a revote unnecessary at the two polling stations.

This statement was delivered on Monday May 27, 2024 by Agustina Ali Bilondatu, a witness for the Respondent (KPU), during a follow-up hearing of the 2024 DPR (House of Representatives) and Provincial and Regency/City DPRD (Regional Legislative Council) petitioned by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). The hearing for case No. 143-01-03-29/PHPU.DPR-DPRD-XXII/2024 included witnesses for the Petitioner, Sandra Noch and Yamin Ibrahim, and the Respondent’s witness, Agustina Ali Bilondatu.

Bilondatu, a member of the Gorontalo Regency KPU’s of law and supervision division, explained that the Gorontalo Provincial Bawaslu had recommended a revote at 5 polling stations, but only 3 polling stations held a revote. The revote was not implemented at Biluhu Timur and Tuladenggi polling stations. She stated that on February 18, the KPU had received a letter from Bawaslu dated February 17, recommending a revote.

“In response, on February 20, 2024, we wrote to Bawaslu Gorontalo as a follow-up and notified them that revote was conducted at three out of five locations: Tilihuwa, Hepuhulawa, and Hutuo polling stations. However, revote was not conducted at Biluhu Timur and Tuladenggi polling stations as [the violations found] were ethics violations,” she said before Panel 2—Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani.

Unused Ballots Classified as Invalid

Sandra Noch, a PDI-P witness at TPS (polling station) 002 of Tuladenggi Village, Telaga Biru Subdistrict, reported a discrepancy of 3 votes in the regency/city DPRD election. This issue arose because the special voters were provided with only one ballot, specifically for the presidential election. Consequently, there was a mismatch between the use of the ballots for the DPR/DPRD and presidential election. “The polling station working committee (KPPS) was confused by this difference and informed the subdistrict election committee (PPK). The PPK chairman decided to classify the unused ballots as invalid. Before signing the document, PDI-P had only 19 votes. I questioned the PPK about this, but they assured me it was fine,” Noch explained.

Yamin Ibrahim, another PDI-P witness, highlighted that during the recapitulation at the Telaga Biru Subdistrict level, he observed that special voters with electronic ID cards from the special voters list (DPK) had received only one ballot. Concerned about potential discrepancy in voter turnout and ballot availability, he raised this issue with the PPK before the counting process began.

“This could lead to discrepancy between presidential and DPR/DPRD votes and the number of invalid votes. The solution was to classify the unused ballots as invalid, ensuring the number of voters matched the number of invalid ballots. This raised concerns about whether the invalid ballots were used twice by voters,” Yamin explained.

Also read:

PDIP Requests Revote for Polling Station 02 in Tuladenggi Village, Gorontalo

KPU: No Incidents of Voting Vandalism Reported at TPS 02, Tuladenggi Village, Gorontalo

The Petitioner asks the Court to annul the KPU Decree No. 360 of 2024 as it pertains to the election of DPRD members for Gorontalo Regency in the electoral district of Gorontalo 2. The Petitioner alleged that ballots were damaged by the KPPS at TPS 02 of Tuladenggi Village, Telaga Biru Subdistrict. Despite the Petitioner’s witness filing a complaint at the subdistrict level, no response was received from the Respondent. Subsequently, the Petitioner report the matter to the Regency Bawaslu, which issued a decision regarding the issue.

The violation at polling stations significantly impacted the Petitioner’s opportunity to secure the eighth seat in the Gorontalo Regency DPRD for Gorontalo 2. According to the Respondent, the National Mandate Party (PAN) held the eighth seat with 3,007 votes, while the Petitioner obtained 3,029 votes. A revote at TPS 02 could potentially enable the Petitioner to secure the final seat. Thus, the Petitioner urged the Court to instruct the Gorontalo Regency KPU to conduct a revote at TPS 02 of Tuladenggi Village, Telaga Biru Subdistrict, Gorontalo Regency.

Author              : Sri Pujianti.
Editor                : Nur R.
Translator         : Dzaki Difa Al Hadiid, Yuniar W.

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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