Julianto Asis, the Petitioners' legal counsel at the preliminary hearing of the Tanimbar Islands regent election results dispute, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Mimika Regent Candidate Pair 3 Alexsander Omaleng and Yusuf Rombe Pasarrin argued that the incumbent regent Johannes Rettod had violated Article 71 paragraph (2) of Law No. 10 of 2016 (Regional Elections Law). Johannes, who teamed up with Emanuel Kemong as Candidate Pair 1, did not follow the restriction stating the replacement of government officials six months prior to candidate determination must be approved in writing by the Minister of Home Affairs.

“There were 12 civil state apparatus, Your Honors, all of whom Subsection and Section Heads who were rotated into functional positions in the Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD). That was on July 30, which is less than two months before the candidate pair determination, yet the Law required a minimum of six months," stated the Petitioners' legal counsel, Julianto Asis before the panel 2 presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani. The preliminary hearing for Case Number 256/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 in the Constitutional Court (MK), Jakarta.

According to Julianto, the incumbent replaced the government officials through the Decision Letter of Mimika Regent, dated July 30, 2024, without the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Mimika Regent Candidate Pairs were announced on September 22, 2024, during the window restricted by the General Elections Law.

The Petitioners had reported several indications of election violations to the Mimika Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu), yet the reports were dismissed or unregistered. The regency Bawaslu even did not take any follow-up steps nor publish the report status regarding the indications of the violation of Article 71 paragraph (2) of Regional Elections Law. 

Civil State Apparatus Neutrality Compromised

Moreover, the Petitioners stated that there were civil state apparatus who took over the duties and authorities of the Polling Station Working Committee (KPPS) and exiled them since the opening of the stations to the vote count. The Petitioners alleged that they willfully and intentionally distributed ballots to certain parties, thus resulting in vote inflation at Polling Station 12 of Wanagon Village located in the regional government housing.

According to the vote acquisition certified by the KPU, Candidate Pair 1 earned 77,818 votes, Candidate Pair 2 66,268 votes, and Candidate Pair 3 74,139 votes.

In their petitums, the Petitioners requested the Court to disqualify Regent Candidate Johannes Rettob from Candidate Pair 1 on the grounds of not meeting the candidacy requirements. They also sought the annulment of Mimika KPU Decree No. 61 of 2024 on the certification of the recapitulation of vote count results, dated December 9, 2024, and Mimika KPU Decree No. 38 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 regent candidate pairs. Furthermore, the Petitioners requested the Court to declare the newly rectified vote acquisition, with Candidate Pair 1 receiving 0 votes due to disqualification, Candidate Pair 2 obtaining 66,268 votes, and Candidate Pair 3 receiving 74,139

The petition for case No. 256/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 can be accessed here.

Author : Mimi Kartika

Editor : N. Rosi

Translator : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin/FS (RA) (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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