Legal counsel M. Iqbal Sumarlan testifying in the regent election results dispute hearing for Case No. 188/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2, Tuesday (1/14/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) – Fakfak regent-vice regent candidates 01 Untung Tamsil and Yohana Dina Hindom alleged violations and fraud in 40 polling stations, resulting in 13,197 invalid votes. They argued that this number of votes significantly impacted the vote acquisition for Candidate Pair 1 as the Petitioners.

"Obviously, this significantly affects the Petitioners’ vote acquisition and could have changed the results if no violations had occurred," said legal counsel M. Iqbal Sumarlan Putra before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2, at the preliminary examination hearing for Case No. 188/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Fakfak regent election results dispute on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in one of the courtrooms.

The Petitioners explained that the alleged violations included: (1) the failure to verify voters by the polling station working committee (KPPS) at 16 polling stations (TPS); (2) the KPPS’ failure to secure and protect the integrity of the ballot boxes according to procedures, raising doubts about their validity; (3) the inclusion of ineligible voters, such as voters casting multiple ballots, voting on behalf of others, and voters residing outside Fakfak at two polling stations; (4) underage voters at one polling station; (5) the KPPS allowing voting after the election period had ended at two polling stations; and (6) restrictions on voters' rights to vote at one polling station.

Additionally, legal counsel Junaedi Rano Wiradinata stated that there were structured, systematic, and massive (TSM) election violations committed by Candidate Pair 02 Samaun Dahlan-Donatus Nimbitkendik. They were suspected of violating the election rules by providing approximately Rp2 million to another party, who subsequently distributed the money to seven individuals to vote for the pair.

The Petitioners also claimed to have lost the right to campaign due to the Fakfak KPU's negligence in disqualifying Candidate Pair 01. Although the Petitioners were later re-appointed as a candidate pair by the West Papua KPU, they argued that the disqualification caused harm in the form of reduced campaigning time.

Based on the vote acquisition determined by the Fakfak KPU as the Respondent, Candidate Pair 01 Untung Tamsil-Yohana Dina Hindom received 20,818 votes, while Candidate Pair 02 Samaun Dahlan-Donatus Nimbitkendik received 24,775 votes. Candidate Pair 02 (Relevant Party) won 3,957 more votes than Candidate Pair 01 (Petitioners).

In their petitum, the Petitioners requested the Court to declare the Fakfak KPU Decree No. 2831 on the certification of the Fakfak regent election vote count recapitulation dated December 6, 2024, null and void and not legally binding concerning the vote acquisition at the polling stations across 6 districts, 6 villages, and 40 polling stations. The Petitioners also requested the Court to order the Fakfak KPU to conduct a revote at these polling stations and appoint new KPPS chairperson and members, as well as PPK chair person and members, at the polling stations where the revote is conducted.

Also read the petition for Case No. 188/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025

Also read: Election Observer Withdraws Fakfak Election Dispute Petition

Author  : Mimi Kartika
Editor   : N. Rosi
Translators     : Nazila Rikhusshuba/FS

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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