Anthoni Hatane (standing) as the Petitioner’s legal counsel at the Preliminary Hearing of Case Number 209/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the East Seram Regency Election Results Dispute on Monday (1/13/2025) in Panel 3 Courtroom. Photo by MKRI/Bayu

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JAKARTA, (MKRI) - East Seram Regent and Vice Regent Candidate Pair Number, Rohani Vanath-Madja Rumatiga argued that the  General Election Committee (KPU) of East Seram Regency did not implement the recommendation to conduct a re-voting (PSU) at the polling station (TPS) 2 Kilkoda Village and polling station 1 Lahema Village. Even though the re-voting recommendation has been given by the sub-district elections supervisory committee (Panwas) in those two villages.

The preliminary hearing of Case Number 209/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was held by Panel 3 chaired by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, accompanied by Constitutional Justice Anwar Usman and Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbaningsih on Monday, January 13, 2025. The East Seram Regency Election was won by candidate pair number 1, Fachri Husni Alkatiri-Muhammad Mifta Thoha by 21,993 votes. Meanwhile, the Petitioner received 21,365 votes.

In the main petition, the KPU of East Seram Regency as the Respondent did not implement the re-voting recommendation at polling station 2 Kilkoda Village from the elections supervisory committee (Panwas) of Gorom Timur District. The re-voting was recommended due to the discovery that one permanent voter list (DPT) had voted twice, five deceased people were listed in the voter attendance list, and the remaining ballot papers were cast by the Voting Organisation Group (KPPS).

“Even though there has been a recommendation for a re-vote, the General Election Committee (KPU) did not implement it [the recommendation], Your Honour, we don't know the reason,” said the Petitioner’s legal counsel, Anthoni Hatane in Panel 3, Courtroom, Jakarta, on Monday, January 13, 2025.

The General Election Committee (KPU) of East Seram Regency also did not implement the re-vote recommendation at polling station 1 in Lahema Village. The Kesui Watubela Sub-district elections supervisory committee has issued a re-vote recommendation because the Chairman and KPPS members at the polling station allowed some minors to vote.

The Petitioner also alleged that the chairman and members of the polling organizing group (KPPS) distributed the remaining ballot papers for unauthorized voting. This occurred at polling station 2 of Lahema Village, Kesui Watubela Sub-district. Similar practices were also allegedly happening at polling station 1 of Adar Village, Gorom Timur Sub-district.

“Likewise at polling station 2 of Aroa Kataloka Village, it turns out that more than one voter who has used his voting rights at polling station 1 of Aroa Kataloka Village then returned to vote at polling station 2 of Aroa Kataloka Village,” claimed Anthoni.

The Petitioner requested the Court to annul the Decision of the General Election Commission (KPU) of East Seram Regency Number 1556 of 2024 concerning the Certification of the Results of the 2024 Regent and Deputy Regent Elections of East Seram Regency dated December 8, 2024. The Petitioner also asked the Court to order the General Election Committee (KPU) of East Seram Regency to conduct a re-voting in 16 polling stations that spread across East Gorom District, Kesui Watubela District, and Gorom Island District.(*)

Author : Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR : Tiara Agustina
Translators: Dinita Aktivia / FS (RA)

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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