The Petitioners’ legal counsel Yustian Dewi Widiastuti (left) at the hearing for the 2024 Yahukimo regent election dispute Case Number 229/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025, Thursday (1/16/2025). Photo by MKRI/Bayu.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — Yahukimo Regent and Vice Regent Candidate Pair Number 2 Yosep Payage and Mari Mirin have filed a petition to cancel the Yakuhimo Regency KPU (Elections Commission) Decree Number 662 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Yakuhimo regent election results dated December 6, 2024. They alleged the reduction and transfer of votes in the recapitulation process by the Yahukimo Regency KPU (Respondent) in ten districts.

The preliminary hearing for Case Number 229/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 was presided over by Constitutional Justices Arief Hidayat (panel chair), Anwar Usman, and Enny Nurbaningsih on panel 3 on Thursday, January 16, 2025. The Yahukimo regent election used the noken” system followed by two pairs of candidates, the result was Candidate Pair Number 1 Didimus Yahuli-Esau Miram won 184,575 votes while the Petitioner received 141,635 votes.

The Petitioners’ legal counsel Yustian Dewi Widiastuti said that the difference in votes was caused by alleged changes in the recapitulation process in 10 districts, specifically Silimo, Amuma, Puldama, Suntamon, Langda, Wusama, Tangma, Ukha, Dirwemna, and Nipsan. They asserted that the correct results should have been: Didimus Yahuli-Esau Miram with 117,950 votes and the Petitioners with 208,260 votes.

“So, there are 10 districts, Your Honors, where the noken results were changed by the Respondent, Your Honors. The change process occurred after the district recapitulation process, [during] the break between the district recapitulation to the regency recapitulation,” claimed Yustian in panel 3 courtroom on Thursday, January 16, 2025.

“Even a PPD (district election committee) who wanted to file the D-result form was rejected by the Respondent. So, the D-result form remains with the PPD until this case is heard,” he added.

In more detail, the change in votes occurred as follows: in Silimo District (from 13,379 votes to 7,676 votes); in Amuma District (from 12,864 votes to 9,381 votes); in Puldama District (from 5,677 votes to 1,135 votes); in Suntamon District (from 4,298 votes to 1,806 votes); in Langda District (reduction by 4,000 votes); in Wusama District (reduction by 1,468 votes); in Tangma District (reduction by 4,000 votes); in Wusama District (reduction by 1,468 votes); in Tangma District (reduction by 2,531 votes); in Ukha District (reduction by 3,450 votes); in Dirwemna District (reduction by 2,187 votes); and in Nipsan District (reduction by 1,392 votes).

“Where our votes were transferred to Didimus Yahuli and Esau Miram,” said Yustian.

The Petitioners also argued that the incumbent regent candidate Didimus Yahuli had abused his authority. The abuse started with the appointment of the district election committee (PPD), polling station working committee (KPPS), and PPD secretaries in 51 districts. The village heads also allegedly played a direct role in the ballot casting and vote counting at polling stations.

“[Regent Candidate Number] 01 is an incumbent, Your Honor. So, 51 district heads in Yahukimo Regency, all of them becamse PPD secretaries,” argued Yustian.

The Petitioners requested the Court to annul the Yahukimo Regency KPU Decree Number 662 of 2024 on the certification of the 2024 Yahukimo regent election results dated December 6, 2024 and to correct the vote acquisition in Silimo District, Amuma District, Puldama District, Suntamon District, Langda District, Wusama District, Tangma District, Ukha District, Dirwemna District, and Nipsan District.

They also requested the Court to determine the results of the Yahukimo regent election with Candidate Pair Number 1 Didimus Yahuli-Esau Miram receiving 117,950 votes and the Petitioners securing 208,260 votes.

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Author              : Nawir Arsyad Akbar
Editor                : Lulu Anjarsari P.

PR                     : Tiara Agustina
Translator          : Dinita Aktivia/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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