Professionalism of Raja Ampat Election Officers Called into Question

Legal counsel Lutfi Sofyan while testifying in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 190/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Panel 2 presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani, Monday (1/13/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 03 Charles Adrian Michael Imbir-Reinold M. Bula questioned the professionalism of the Government Apparatus and Organizers of the 2024 Raja Ampat Regency election, at the preliminary hearing for Case No. 190/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 concerning the Raja Ampat Regency election results dispute. The hearing was held at the Court (MK) on Monday, January 13, 2025, presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani.

The Petitioners’ legal counsel, Lutfi Sofyan Solissa, stated during the preliminary hearing that the Regional Secretary of Raja Ampat Regency had engaged in practical politics during the 2024 Raja Ampat Regency election by directly supporting Candidate Pair 01, Orideko Iriao Burdam-Mansyur Syahdan. The Petitioners presented evidence of the Regional Secretary's involvement in a WhatsApp Group (WAG) dedicated to Candidate Pair 01, known as Barisan Oridek Mansyur (BOM 27). They further alleged that the Regional Secretary actively participated in activities aimed at securing victory for Candidate Pair 01.

“The role of the Reported Party is to provide guidance or orders to Volunteers, Witnesses, and Civil Servants in the WhatsApp group with the name of Candidate Pair 01 (ORMAS) to vote for Candidate Pair 01 (ORMAS) by giving orders via Voice Recording or Voice Note, also group messages,” stated Lutfi Sofyan Solissa.

In addition, the Petitioners argue that the election organizers, which are KPU (election commission) and TPS (polling stations) organizers of Raja Ampat Regency behaved unprofessionally in the 2024 Raja Ampat Regency election. In the context of the KPU, the Petitioners proved the involvement of the KPU misusing their authority to order and force people with KTP (Identity Cards) of Warmasen Village to vote without the approval of the KPPS Officers and witnesses from each candidate pair. This happened at 3:30 Local Time on election day.

Meanwhile, in the context of PTPS (polling station supervisors), the Petitioners proved the alleged violation of the code of ethics, the behavior of the oath and/or promise, and/or the PTPS integrity pact. This was portrayed by the 5 KPPS chairpersons who simultaneously conducted the voting process but not in the timeframe set by the KPU.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to order the Raja Ampat Regency KPU to conduct a revote in all polling stations in Raja Ampat Regency. It was stated by legal counsel Yance Paulus when reading the petition.

The petition for Case No. 190/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

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Professionalism of Raja Ampat Election Officers Called into Question