PDIP’s Witnesses Reveal Election Violations in Jambi
The witnesses were sworn in at the hearing for the 2024 legislative election results dispute of Jambi, Thursday (5/30/2024). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.
JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) witnesses revealed several election violations in Jambi. The testimony was delivered in the continued hearing of the General Election Results Dispute (PHPU) case which was held on Panel 3, Thursday, May 30, 2024. The hearing was presided over by Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat (panel chair), Anwar Usman, and Enny Nurbaningsih. The case No. 73-01-03-05/PHPU.DPR-DPRD-XXII/2024 was petitioned by PDI-P, represented by Megawati Soekarnoputri as General Chairwoman and Hasto Kristiyanto as Secretary-General.
The Petitioner’s witness, Safril Munandar, explained that there was a case of double voting by three people at polling stations (TPS) 2 and 4 of Kembang Seri Village, which was declared by Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) as an election administration violation by the KPPS (polling station working committee). “There were three people who voted twice, Your Honors,” he said.
Then, the Petitioner's witness, Akmaluddin, who was also a candidate for the Provincial DPRD (Regional Legislative Council) and a recapitulation witness for Batanghari Regency, Jambi Province, explained that there was a DPTB (additional final voters list) issue at TPS 02 Simpang Sungai Rengas Village and TPS 02 Olak Kemang Village, Maro Sebo Ulu Sub-district. The issue occurred because the DPTB voters received five ballots. Additionally, at TPS 03 Rantau Puri Village, Muara Bulian Subdistrict, a voter was unable to vote due to illness, but someone else cast the ballot. This was confirmed by witness Adli Azhari, a voter at TPS 03 Rantau Puri Village. Adli said that there was an administrative violation by KPPS at TPS 03, where a person voted for their mother.
Furthermore, the other Petitioner's witness, M. Azlan, testified that there was a DPT (final voters list) whose person was not there but was recorded as voting at TPS 1 of Penuh Talang Genting Village. “There was a DPT where the person was not there, but voted, Your Honors,” he said. Meanwhile, the Petitioner's witness, Rukman, also emphasized that a number of people who were in Malaysia or had even died had voted.
PDIP presented Syamsir as an expert in the hearing. Syamsir explained that the violations regulated in Article 533 of the Election Law have an impact on vote invalidity, so re-voting must be carried out to uphold the principles of honesty and fairness in the organizing elections.
According to the expert, the actions prohibited by Article 533 of the Election Law have implications for the invalidity of votes so that a re-vote must be carried out as an effort to uphold the principle of honesty and fairness which is the principle of organizing elections,” said Syamsir.
KPU (General Elections Commission) as the Respondent presented several witnesses. One of them was M. Ansori, who explained that at TPS 02 Simpang Sungai Rengas Village and TPS 02 Olak Kemang Village, Maro Sebo Ulu Subdistrict, the voters were local residents so they received five ballots. He also explained that this issue had been resolved at the regency recapitulation level.
Furthermore, the other KPU's witness, Supriadi explained that the plenary meeting in Muaro Jambi Regency, where the nine locuses were argued by the Petitioner, there were no witness objections and no recommendations from Bawaslu. “In the locus where the Petitioner was questioned, there were no objections and recommendations from Bawaslu,” he said.
Regarding the testimony of the PDIP witness who mentioned voters supposedly in Malaysia, Pepizon, a witness for the KPU, countered by explaining that upon investigation, several individuals reported to be in Malaysia were actually present. “Based on a search [conducted], the people mentioned in Malaysia by the Petitioner are not true, they were in place [at TPS],” he said.
Also read:
PDIP Petition Dismissed in Four Electoral Districts, Proceedings Continue for Jambi Electoral Districts 2 and 4
KPU Rejects PDIP Statements Regarding Six Electoral Districts in Jambi
Previously, the Petitioner challenged the process of the Jambi Provincial DPRD election for Electoral District of Jambi 2, which includes Batanghari and Muaro Jambi Regencies. The Petitioner objected to the margin of 52 votes with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). They argued that they should have received 57,623 votes, but the Respondent counted only 57,580 votes. On the other side, PKS, which the Petitioner claimed should have received 19,193 votes, was determined with 19,245 votes by the Respondent. The margin of votes between PKS and PDIP at several TPS across Batanghari Regency was attributed to several violations of election regulations. These violations include the use of voting rights that did not comply with regulations, such as multiple voters, companion voters who voted without permission from voters who were unable to vote due to illness, and the use of voting rights by DPTb voters who did not meet the stipulated regulatory criteria.
The Petitioner also challenged the Kerinci Regency DPRD election in Electoral District of Kerinci 4. The Petitioner argued that there was a difference in votes between the Petitioner and the Great Movement Party (Gerindra) in Kerinci 4, which covers the Sub-districts of Danau Kerinci, Batang Merangin, Tanah Cogok, and Sitinjau Laut. According to the Petitioner, there was a margin of 441 votes between the Petitioner and Gerindra. The Petitioner claimed that they should have received 2,807 votes instead of the 2,366 votes determined by the Respondent. Conversely, Gerindra should only have obtained 2,366 votes, not the 2,807 votes determined by the Respondent. The Petitioner alleged that this margin in votes occurred as a result of the organizing elections that were not in line with the laws and regulations.
Author : Adam Ilyas
Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR : Tiara Agustina
Translator : Putri Ratnasari/Fuad Subhan
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.
Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 19:55 WIB 102