The Petitioners’ legal counsel Kores Tambunan testifying at the regent election results dispute hearing for Case No. 128/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 before Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2, Wednesday (1/15/2025). Photo by MKRI/Teguh.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) – Mappi regent-vice regent candidates 05 Benediktus Amoiye and Benedictus Tori Paliling argued that there was a difference in data tabulation between voter data, the number of final voters, and the number of final voters who exercised their right to vote in the Mappi regent election. They also raised concerns about vote buying or “money politics” during election. These allegations were presented at the preliminary examination hearing for Case No. 128/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 on the Mappi regent election results, which was presided over by Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Ridwan Mansyur and Arsul Sani on panel 2 on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

Legal counsel Kores Tambunan explained that, in data tabulation, there were differences between the minutes and certificates of the vote count recapitulation from polling stations in villages and those from polling stations in districts. One of the differences observed by the Petitioners was the recapitulation of the number of voters in the final voter list (DPT) who exercised their voting rights in Assue District and the regency. The number of voters, based on the recapitulation in Assue District, was 5,885, while based on the recapitulation at the regency level, it was 5,874.

Tambunan also further alleged the practice of vote buying or “money politics” committed by Candidate Pair 03, which involved inviting the local community through a Facebook group to vote for Candidate Pair 03 with the lure of a cash reward of Rp500,000. The candidate pair also promised to give Rp10,000,000 to the public.

“On Saturday, November 22, 2024 in Sumratman Village, Minyamur District, regent candidate Kristosimus Yohanes Agawemu promised to give Rp10,000,000 to the community, stating, ‘If you all agree, I’ll give you Rp10,000,000. Just arrange it,’” Tambunan revealed.

Therefore, the Petitioners requested the Court to disqualify Candidate Pair 03 Kristosimus Yohanes Agawemu and Sanusi and to declare the Petitioners as the candidate pair with the highest vote amounting to 21,717.

Also read the petition for Case No. 128/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025.

Author              : Ahmad Sulthon Zainawi
Editor                : N. Rosi
Translators        : Nazila Rikhusshuba/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

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.

---