The Relevant Party’s expert, Aswanto, testifying at a hearing on the dispute over the 2024 legislative election results in West Sulawesi Province, Thursday (5/30/2024). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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JAKARTA, (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held a follow-up hearing to hear witness and expert testimonies for Case No. 66-01-04-30/PHPU.DPR-DPRD-XXII/2024 on the 2024 DPR (House of Representatives) election results dispute in the electoral district of West Sulawesi, filed by Golkar (Party of Functional Groups). Golkar raised concerns about voters who were not listed in the permanent voters list (DPT), additional voters list (DPTb), or special voters list (DPK) but voted using electronic ID cards (e-KTP) that did not match the registered address.

In its petitum, Golkar requested a revote at 35 polling stations (TPS) across the West Sulawesi electoral district for the DPR election, to be conducted within 14 days according to the laws and regulations. However, an expert from the Relevant Party (PAN), Aswanto, stated that such a revote could impact all political parties participating in the election.

“There is a potential shift in votes that could impact not only the disputing parties but also the top-ranking parties, which might lose votes and seats without the opportunity to file election disputes due to time constraints. This is the difference between legislative and regional elections,” he stated before by Chief Justice Suhartoyo and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on Panel 1 on Thursday, May 30, 2024.

He explained that a revote should only be conducted if it can be proven that ineligible voters have really cast their votes. It must also be determined which type of election the ineligible voter participated in to decide which election needs to be repeated.

He added that administrative issues should not strip away anyone’s constitutional rights if it can be proven that the voter was eligible and did not vote elsewhere. Therefore, a revote is unnecessary if the integrity of the vote is not compromised. Voter registration is essentially meant to keep people from multiple voting.

“Not all errors on voting and vote counting forms justify a revote. The key is maintaining the ‘purity of votes.’ If this is not disrupted, there is no need for a revote,” he clarified.

The Petitioner’s witnesses stated that individuals without electronic ID cards (e-KTP) were listed in the DPT. These individuals did not reside at the address corresponding to the polling stations and had ID cards from outside the polling station location, meaning they were not local residents. Additionally, several voters with ID cards from outside West Sulawesi did not provide a voting relocation letter.

“Two voters did not meet the requirements to vote because they were not local residents, as seen in the DPK list,” said Rahman Zainuddin, one of the Petitioner’s witnesses.

However, the Respondent’s (KPU) witnesses denied these allegations. Rudianto, a member of the Polewali Mandar Regency KPU, stated that a voter named Soleh had an a-KTP indicating he was a resident of Mirring Village, Binuang Subdistrict, Polewali Mandar Regency, contrary to the Petitioner’s claim that Soleh was a resident of Kalimantan.

Also read:

KPU Asks Court to Dismiss Allegation of DPR Election Violations in W. Sulawesi

Golkar Asks for Revote in in West Sulawesi, Alleging Violations

According to Golkar’s petition, election violations occurred in 36 polling stations across Central Mamuju, Polewali Mandar, Mamasa, Pasang Kayu, and Mamuju. For instance, in Polling station 4, Batetangnga Village, Binuang subdistrict, Polewali Mandar Regency, voter participation was reported at 100 percent, despite the DPT listing four deceased voters and one voter who had moved to Kalimantan.

Additionally, violations occurred at TPS 1 of Talopak Village, Tabulahan Subdistrict, Mamasa Regency, where ballots for 23 people with disabilities were cast despite no data indicating disabled voters in that polling station. The Petitioner argued that there were sufficient legal grounds for revote in 36 polling stations across five regencies for the DPR election for West Sulawesi.

Author              : Mimi Kartika
Editor                : Lulu Anjarsari P.
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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