M. Andrean Saefudin (Petitioner) attending the preliminary hearing of the South Papua gubernatorial election results dispute via teleconference, Thursday (1/16/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held a preliminary hearing on the South Papua gubernatorial election results dispute on Thursday, January 16, 2025. The hearing for Case No. 185/PHPU.GUB-XXIII/2025 was presided over by Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Enny Anwar Usman and Enny Nurbaningsih on panel 3.

Chairman of Sarekat Demokrasi Indonesia M. Andrean Saefudin (Petitioner) has filed a request of the annulment of South Papua Provincial KPU (Elections Commission) Decree No. 217 of 2024 on the certification of the South Papua gubernatorial election results dispute dated December 8, 2024. He challenges the gubernatorial election on the grounds that the area hasn’t met the requirements to be established as a province.

The establishment of South Papua did not meet the administrative requirements stipulated in Article 35 Law No. 23 of 2014 on Local Government, which required the minimum of five regencies/cities to establish a province. Meanwhile, South Papua only consists of four districts: Merauke, Mappi, Boven Digoel, and Asmat Districts.

“Thus, in short, [I] believe the establishment of South Papua Province is unlawful,” Andrean argued.

Many violations were also alleged in the South Papua election, which undermine the people’s sense of justice and sovereignty, especially those living in the four districts of South Papua.

“As a logical and legal consequence, any decision that is made through undemocratic means and violates the law and the fundamentals of the constitution and democracy can be annulled by the Court,” Andrean asserted.

In the petitums, the Petitioner requested that the Court annul the South Papua KPU Decree No. 217 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 gubernatorial election results dated December 8, 2024 and that the Court declare the KPU minutes No. 410 of 2024 on the certification of the gubernatorial election results dated December 8, 2024 null and void.

Moreover, the Petitioner requested the Court to order the South Papua KPU to redo the election in Merauke, Mappi, Boven Digoel, and Asmat Districts. Alternatively, he requested the Court to order the KPU to carry out a revote in those districts.

To note, four candidate results participated in the gubernatorial election, with Candidate Pair 1 Darius Gewilom-Yusak Yaluwo acquiring 49,000 votes, Candidate Pair 2 Nikolaus Kondomo-H. Baidin Kurita 12,656 votes, Candidate Pair 3 Romanus Mbaraka-Albertus Muyak 68,991 votes, and Candidate Pair 4 Apolo Safanpo-Paskalis Imadawa 139,580 votes.

Author            : Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor            : Lulu Anjarsari P.
PR                  : Tiara Agustina
Translator       : M. Hafidh Al Mukmin/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL) (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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