Mentawai Islands Elections Commission Asserts Compliance with Revote Recommendation

The legal counsels of Bawaslu Nasrullah and Perius at the examination hearing for the 2024 Mentawai Islands regent election case No. 230/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025 to hear the Respondent, the Relevant Party, and Bawaslu, Wednesday (1/21/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held an examination hearing to hear the Respondent’s response and statements by the Relevant Party and Bawaslu (Elections Supervisory Body) and to validate evidence of the Parties on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. As the Respondent, the Mentawai Islands Elections Commission (KPU) delivered its Response to the petition on the 2024 Mentawai Islands regent election results dispute with Case No. 230/PHPU.BUP-XXIII/2025. In the hearing presided over by Chief Justice Suhartoyo (panel chair) and Constitutional Justices Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh and M. Guntur Hamzah on panel 1, KPU denied ignoring the Bawaslu recommendation for revote.

The case also involved Regent Candidate Pair 3 Rinto Wardana and Jakop Saguruk as the Relevant Party and the Mentawai Islands Bawaslu as a Statement Provider.

The Respondent reported to have followed up the recommendation of the Bawaslu in three polling stations (TPS) in Sinaka Village, South Pagai District. The recommendation was responded to through the South Pagai district election committee (PPK) by writing to the Bawaslu.

"In short, the PPK requested a detailed explanation and evidence related to the letter [from] the South Pagai district supervisory committee (Panwascam)," clarified Henri Lumbanraja, the Respondent's legal counsel.

The Respondent also mentioned that the Petitioners should have reported the allegations to the authorized parties, since the recommendation issued in Sinaka Village itself was based on a finding of the Panwascam instead of the Petitioners.

"The Petitioners should not merely complain, but the Petitioners should have actively and wisely reported [incidents] to the responsible and authorized parties," Henri commented.

Similarly, the Relevant Party stated that the Respondent had conducted its duties as provisioned, including carrying out revotes.

"Revotes have been conducted in two polling stations, namely TPS 01 and TPS 02 in Cimpungan Siberut Tengah Village on December 9, 2024," stated Sunggul Hamonangan Sirat, the Relevant Party's legal counsel.

The Relevant Party also commented on the argument of student voters and argued that those voters were indeed eligible for being of age.

Furthermore, they refuted the allegation of one person receiving nine ballots. "There was an allegation that an individual Darmantius had voted nine ballots, we deny [the allegation] with video evidence that he was alone in TPS 12," Sunggul argued.

As a Statement Provider, the Mentawai Islands Bawaslu confirmed that, through the South Pagai Panwascam, they had issued a recommendation for a revote at TPS 03, TPS 08, and TPS 12 in Sinaka Village. However, the recommendation was later withdrawn due to a lack of evidence.

"Based on the response letter from the PPK, we conducted a review and no evidence was found, then the South Pagai supervisory committee made a decision in a plenary meeting to retract the revote recommendation," the Bawaslu Chairperson Perius explained.

Afterwards, the Bawaslu issued another recommendation for revote in Polling Stations 01 and 02 in Cimpungan Village, Central Siberut District.

"The recommendation was to revote, it has been implemented," Perius added.

Also read: Rijel-Yosep: Mentawai Islands KPU Ignores Revote Recommendation

In the preliminary hearing on Friday, January 10, 2025, the Petitioners argued the polling carried out by the Respondent had not followed the procedure. For example, the Respondent dismissed Bawaslu’s (Election Supervisory Body) recommendation for a revote, because it was withdrawn before its implementation. The recommendation for a revote was not implemented at three polling stations (TPS): TPS 8 in Sinaka Village and TPS 1 and 2 in Cimpungan Village.

The Petitioners also mentioned the use of vote by unlawful parties. For instance, allegedly, several voters at TPS 2 of Malakopa had not voted but been recorded as present. The Petitioners found a lot of similar cases involving attendance lists. “They were signed even though the person was away. Too many signatures were forged and this was found out only after the polling ended, Your Honors,” added Harli.

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Mentawai Islands Elections Commission Asserts Compliance with Revote Recommendation