Legal counsel Edi Irsan Elys testifying in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 246/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justice Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Panel 2, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Candidate Pair 03 Mohamad Tadi Salampessy-Emmylh Dominggus Luhukay (the Petitioners) questioned the neutrality of the election organizers in the Ambon Mayoral election. They argued that the organizers' partiality had influenced the significant vote disparity between the petitioner and Candidate Pair 02 Bodewin Melkias and Ely Toisutta (Relevant Party).

It was stated by the Petitioners’ legal counsel Edy Irsan Elys in the preliminary hearing for Case No. 246/PHPU.WAKO-XXIII/2025 concerning the 2024 Ambon Mayoral election results dispute at the Court. The hearing was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on Panel 2 on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

In presenting the main petition, Edy stated that the Ambon City KPU officers' partiality happened at all levels hierarchically. From the PPK (district election committee) to the PPS (polling committee) and KPPS (polling station working committee) levels, each showed bias in every polling station (TPS) across Ambon City to favor a particular candidate pair.

Edy also highlighted an attempt to add votes for another candidate pair at TPS 42 Batumerah Village, Sirimau District, Ambon City. It is suspected that all KPPS officers were involved in committing a criminal act by attempting to cast multiple ballots for a specific candidate pair.

"The Petitioners conclude that the process of collecting and calculating as well as the tiered recapitulation process carried out by the Respondent has violated the provisions in both PKPU 17/2024 in conjunction with KPTS KPU 1774/2024 and PKPU 18/2024 in conjunction with KPTS 1797/2024," said the Petitioners.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to order the Ambon City KPU to carry out a revote in all polling stations throughout Ambon City and to annul Ambon City KPU Decree No. 431 of 2024 concerning the certification of the 2024 Mayoral election results, dated December 6, 2024, at 5:34 Local Time.

Author: Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor: Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR: Fauzan Febriyan
Translator: Syifa Amelia/Fuad Subhan (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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